


Past, Present, and Future.  Academically Speaking.

by Maggiemay (Maggiemaynot)



Category: Yu-Gi-Oh!
Genre: Complete, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-10-16
Updated: 2013-10-16
Packaged: 2017-12-29 15:18:39
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 46,184
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1006945
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Maggiemaynot/pseuds/Maggiemay
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A past revisited, an uncertain present, and hope for the future.  Kids, puppies (of the Joey kind), and Seto looking for something he lost.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Past, Present, and Future.  Academically Speaking.

**Author's Note:**

  * For [ElegantString](https://archiveofourown.org/users/ElegantString/gifts).



> Gosh I love torturing these guys!

Title: Past, Present, and Future - Academically Speaking

 

Author: Maggiemay

 

Muses and Betas: Jazzy, mofaf1, Chibi, Serena

 

Disclaimer: Don't own YGO or any of it's Characters. Do own my OC's and the work contained within this work.

 

Summary: Just a rather slow, boring, meandering story about Joey and Seto - Past, Present and Future.

 

Rating: M for Mature just to be safe.

 

Size: 113 pages and 46372 words.

 

Playing with my OF format, prepping for publication and wrote this little thing to get comfortable with the format. Believe it or not it was a real challenge. Now I'm sick of it and need to get back to Lost and Found as well as about a dozen other stories - PLUS my Original Fiction.

 

Anyway - enjoy. It's kinda boring, but I hope it entertains you to a small extent.

 

****  
Kaiba Seto looked out over the dueling deck and pondered the philosophical thought experiment, 'If a tree falls in a forest and no one is around to hear it, does it make a sound?' Not the actual question, but how the concept applied to people. If a person disappeared and nobody noticed, were they truly missing?

 

Extrapolating further, he wondered, if a person disappeared from another person's view, does that mean the first person could no longer see the second person? They were very good questions that Seto had no answers for, even though he was faced with just that dilemma.

 

The cause of those questions was standing calmly on the duel deck waiting for him to make the introductions. He pushed the thoughts to the back of his mind and keyed the microphone. He would have time to ponder philosophy later. He had work to do. He wiped his brow and mock sighed. "Hot! And I don't mean just the temperature. We've seen some very hot competition, and now we have reached the hottest yet! Welcome to the final duel of the Kaiba Corporation International Charity Dueling Competition. Our second place challenger, on the blue side of the arena, is none other than the underdog himself, Jounouchi Katsuya. He is challenging the top duelist in the world, undefeated for almost a decade, Moutou Yugi in a non-title match played for the Kaiba Corp Charity Foundation with a top prize of five million yen." With a low bow to the men on the deck and a wave to the crowd, he stepped back and called. "Duel!"

 

Seto didn't stay to watch the competition. Yugi was undefeated and would remain that way until Seto himself managed to crack the 'King's' strategies that seemed to fall together almost magically. Jounouchi was good, third best in the world, but not good enough to beat Yugi. Seto hadn't wanted to miss competing in the duel but his workload and moving plans had curtailed his time and he hadn't been able to be a contestant. His only solace was that it was a non-title match. If it had been a title match, Seto would have made the time, even if it meant delaying their move to New York.

 

He had barely made it to the temporary office he'd set-up a bare seven minute walk from the arena, when the crowd's roar shook the walls around him. Curious, he flipped on the monitor on his desk. Perhaps he should have stayed. It would have been amusing and possibly enlightening to see the strategy that had brought the second place duelist down. His breath caught for an instant before whooshing out on an exclamation of shock. 

 

The once 'third-rate' mutt stood straight and tall, his eyes gleaming with triumph. On the screen the life point displays told the tale. The blond's lifepoints were at three thousand, while Moutou Yugi's were at zero. Yugi had been defeated, for the first time ever, and it wasn't by Kaiba Seto, but by the underdog - Jounouchi Katsuya.

 

As he watched, his brother Mokuba appeared on screen, congratulating Jounouchi, his hands moving in excited gestures as he spoke to the blond. Seto didn't waste another second watching the monitor, instead he bolted back to the arena. There was no way this was possible! It was a fake or some kind of trick. There was no way that dog could find a way to defeat Yugi when he had never found a way. He made the seven minute walk in less than three minutes. 

 

Unfortunately he had to cool his heels for a while as Yugi and Jounouchi posed for pictures and fielded questions from reporters. They were both adamant in the face of the same doubts and questions Seto had. They hadn't seen each other in months, had only spoken a handful of times on the telephone, and never discussed strategy. Katsuya explained he had been busy with college and hadn't even been positive he would make it back for the competition.

 

If anything, that sent Seto's suspicions higher. He knew for a fact that Jounouchi's marks hadn't been high enough for any college to accept him. Yugi had been one place ahead of Jounouchi in class rank and Yugi hadn't been able to get into college and instead had enrolled in business courses at night to be able to run his grandfather's store. No way had the blond been busy with college. Seto knew about Yugi's failed college application because his company routinely recruited through the colleges and his personnel department had put out feelers for any and all promising or famous duelists. When they inquired about Yugi they were told that he hadn't been qualified. Seto told them not to bother checking on Jounouchi's status. They both had some explaining to do, and if they cheated, Seto would personally grind them into dust.

 

He waited until the press conference died down and the large pressroom cleared of everyone but Mokuba, Yugi, Jounouchi, and Suzuki, the executive in charge of the Kaiba Corp Charities, before approaching the group. "Jounouchi, congratulations on your win." He greeted coolly.

 

"Thanks." The blond gave him a flat look. "Are we done here? I'd like to finish up and leave."

 

"Finish up? Do you mean the winners check? You think I'm going to give you a check for cheating?" Seto asked with a mocking tilt to his head.

 

"Cheating?" For a second the brown eyes lit with familiar fire but it died almost instantly. "Prove that I cheated. Go ahead, prove it."

 

"Are you saying you and Moutou didn't get together and scheme this?" A brunet brow arched slightly. "You two probably spent all last night going over the details."

 

"Kaiba that's not true." Yugi spoke up anxiously. "I haven't spoken to Jounouchi in months. He's been..."

 

"You really expect me to believe that?" Seto snorted contemptuously.

 

Rather than answer, the accused blond reached into his pocket and pulled out a slip of paper. "Read this. It proves I wasn't here last night.."

 

As if touching something foul, Seto took the paper between his fingertips and read it. "You flew in from Tokyo this morning?"

 

"Yeah." Jou nodded brusquely. "I got here about ten minutes before the duels started. I haven't been back to Domino for almost a year." He hesitated a moment. "I left right after the last tournament. I'm sure you remember. You accused me of cheating then too, because I almost kicked your ass."

 

That was all too accurate, now that Seto thought of it. Nine months prior the blond had come very close to taking his second place title, worthless as it was. He had not really accused the other duelist. He had simply made the observation that something other than skill had to be involved. At the time he'd meant it as a dig at the other man's infamous luck, but it was obvious now that Jounouchi had taken it as an accusation of cheating. That incident had no bearing on the current incident. "There will be an investigation into the matter. When I am satisfied then we will see about awarding the prize where it belongs."

 

"Kaiba, if you have no evidence that there was cheating involved you can't hold the prize." Jounouchi pointed out logically. "You know I wasn't in town, haven't been here for almost a year. You can check my phone for any calls to Yugi. I haven't made any in months." Obligingly, he held out a small flip phone. "Feel free to look."

 

Seto took the phone and examined the 'received' calls first. One, from 'Shi-chan' from five months prior. He checked the dialed and found only about a dozen calls, most to 'Shi-chan' and a few to Yugi, but none dated less than four months. A quick check of the functions showed that texting was disabled. "You've only made thirteen calls in a year?" He didn't bother to hide his disbelief.

 

"I pay for minutes. I don't have unlimited so I use it for emergencies and special occasions like birthdays and holidays." The blond explained evenly.

 

Seto almost flinched at the even tone. Once, Jounouchi would have yelled at him that they weren't all rich pricks, but the defiant, overly proud, cocky part of him seemed to be gone. Now he was simply stating facts without being defensive or obnoxious. It made the statement that much more believable.

 

To test that theory, Seto sneered at the blond "You have been to three duels in the last year barely retaining your third place title. I find it impossible to believe you could beat the number one duelist."

 

For some reason that amused the other man. "Your ego is showing. Just because you've never beaten him doesn't mean that he is unbeatable." Humor and a touch of malice showed in Katsuya's golden eyes. "Get over yourself. I won fair and square. Declare me the winner so I can clear out. I have things to do." The malice faded and a genuine smile took its place. "C'mon Kaiba, you know I don't cheat. I haven't been here in a while and want to visit my friends before my flight leaves."

 

"You're going back soon?" That caught the CEO by surprise.

 

"Yeah. My flight leaves about seven.." He shrugged and shoved his hands into his pockets. "I figured I'd either win or lose by then so I wouldn't have to pay for a hotel room. After I visit everyone I'll hop the bus to the airport and hang out 'til my flight arrives."

 

"Hnnn..." Seto considered the young man he'd known for five years, weighing what he knew of the blond's integrity. Grudgingly, he nodded. "While I can see you being tempted to cheat I can't see Yugi cheating. Fine, you are the winner."

 

"Gee thanks." Jou rolled his eyes. "You're still mad that I beat myself the last time we dueled aren't you?"

 

"I won. You didn't beat yourself." Seto corrected with a snort.

 

"Nah, I didn't wait for you to finish calling your move before I flipped my card. Card was taken out of play. If I hadn't rushed it by about five seconds I would have beat you, same as I beat Yugi, fair and square." While Seto was still growling at that little bit of truth, Jou turned to Mokuba. "You going to give me that check you've been holding?"

 

"Yeah sure." The younger Kaiba smiled and handed out the thick rectangle of paper. "Now if you just endorse the back and give it to Suzuki-san, the guy next to Yugi, you can go."

 

"Give it to Suzuki-san?" Jou accepted the check. "Why would I do that?"

 

"Uh..." Mokuba looked to his brother in confusion, then back to the blond. "Because it is a charity event and the winnings are donated to the charity."

 

"That wasn't on the invitation or on any of the flyers." Jou frowned down at the check in his hand.

 

"Well it's not spelled out as a rule it's just..." The black-haired teen gave his brother a 'rescue me' look.

 

Seto stepped in. "It's expected. Part of the 'charity' mindset. Yugi has donated his winnings every year. I expect the million yen he won this year will be donated as well.". 

 

"Oh." Jou tilted his head slightly to Suzuki-san. "What you going to do with it?"

 

"It is to go for a college scholarship to deserving young people." The man explained proudly.

 

"Deserving young people. Define deserving." Golden eyes narrowed slightly, the thick lashes obscuring their expression.

 

"High academic marks, teacher recommendations, good family." The executive rattled off, still looking proud.

 

"Huh... What about poor kids who had to work jobs to pay their parent's debts and put food on the table, so they don't have the time to sleep, much less study? What about kids from the wrong side of the tracks who want to improve who they are? They aren't deserving?" There was no heat behind the questions, not even real curiosity. It was as if the blond knew the answers before asking, but asked anyway, just to confirm his knowledge.

 

The older man looked at his boss, then back to the blond. "Uhm, I'm sure something can be set up. It's not a situation we've ever encountered before so I don't..."

 

Jounouchi chuckled and shook his head slightly. "Man you don't know a thing. You - and your boss - " He nodded in Kaiba's direction. "Have no clue. You have had applicants to the scholarship who were exactly like that. Not just one or two, but I can think of six from my old neighborhood alone. You turned them down without even an interview. Before I give you money to help people that everyone wants to give a hand up to, I'll give it to someone really deserving, someone who has had to work hard, scrape, save, and live with the shame of knowing they could be more than trash if only they had a chance." Another nod, "So yeah. I won't be signing my winnings over to you Suzuki-san. Ask Kaiba for a personal donation - I'm sure he will be happy to help one of your deserving."

 

With that Jou turned to his best bud. "Yug! Let's go get some curry at that Green Dragon place. I've been craving it for ever."

 

Yugi, clutching the check Mokuba had just given him, nodded and linked his arm through his best friend's. "Let’s go." He hesitated briefly, glancing over at Suzuki and the Kaiba brothers. "I'll be signing over my check to Jounouchi's deserving ones as well. I was under the impression that the scholarship foundation was to benefit people based on demonstrated financial need, not grades, teacher recommendations and family name. Doesn't seem fair to people who haven't been blessed with good homelife and good family." With a smile he turned back to Jounouchi. "Let’s go. Green Dragon Curry here we come."

 

Seto waited for the door to close behind the departing pair before saying "Suzuki, you were hired to oversee the Scholarship Program personally. When I hired you, I and gave you a document with specific guidelines about the types of students who were to be given priority. Do you still have that document?"

 

"Of course, Sir. I had it bound and it sits on my desk at all times."

 

"Have your aide bring it to us." Seto turned and stalked away from the man, his hands loosely clasped behind his back as he looked out the window, watching as Yugi and Jounouchi raced across the street to catch the bus, skillfully dodging the people who recognized and tried to waylay them.

 

Silence reigned in the room until a soft discreet knock dropped into the soundless void. Suzuki greeted his aide and thanked him in strained tones. With a steady tread he crossed and handed the binder to his employer.

 

Seto took the binder and thumbed through the pages, seeing the criteria he'd laid out with new eyes. Without a word he crossed and threw it in the trash. "From now on there will be different sets of criteria. I will have a draft on your desk tomorrow - and a check." He turned on his heel and strode to the door. "Mokuba, let’s get to work." He didn't close the door behind him. He left his employee staring after him long after his billowing trenchcoat disappeared down the hall.

 

Seto finished the revised document at eight that night. On impulse he dialed the number for the Kame Game shop. His rival's distinctive voice answered on the second ring. "Moshi, Moshi."

 

"Yugi, is Jounouchi still with you? I would like to speak to him about the scholarship." The brunet didn't admit, even to himself, why it was important that the blond know that his words had affected change, but it he was going to let the other man know. It was only fair.

 

"No, Kaiba. I called Honda, Otogi, and Shizuka and we all met at the Green Dragon. He left right after we ate. His plane took off about an hour ago." Wistful sadness threaded through Yugi's soft voice. "I miss him even though he writes."

 

"I see. Thank you." Brusquely Seto hung up and turned his mind to other matters. Almost without him noticing, Jounouchi Katsuya disappeared from his life again.

 

In almost identical replays Jounouchi continued to flare briefly then disappear just as quickly citing college as reason for his sporadic appearances for over the last three years. Although he never took the title from Yugi, the five or six tournaments he took part in were always high paying and he won consistently.

 

Seto read an account of the most recent win as he sat in his office looking out at the New York City skyline. There was a small interview done as a companion piece to the tournament results. If the picture hadn't been unmistakably Jounouchi, with his shock of blond hair and unique blend of delicate features set in lines of strength, he wouldn't have believed it was the same person he'd gone to school with. Instead of crowing or egotistically bragging, the blond answered the questions with a kind of affable redirection. The article, even though it asked personal questions about where he lived and his girlfriends, didn't contain one gem of information. It was strange and totally at odds with the loud mouthed teen he remembered.

 

It struck Seto suddenly that since his withdrawal from duelling he hadn't seen the blond except on television in tournaments. Frowning slightly, his curiosity piqued, he pulled up Jounouchi Katsuya's dueling record as well as his registration forms.

 

Shock made him sit back slightly as his eyes narrowed. Jounouchi Katsuya hadn't signed in or used any dueling arena at any time in the last five years except for the tournament systems. That didn't make any sense at all, and it begged the question, if he wasn't dueling at arenas where was he practicing and with whom.

 

The registration form was further a mystery. The address listed wasn't Tokyo, it was Domino, and very familiar - Kame Game Shop. Automatically he reached out and picked up the phone only to drop it back in the cradle. What was he doing? Why did he care that the mutt was cagey about his life, had seemed to have dropped off the face of the earth? The simple answer was that he didn't. Seto just hated unanswered questions about people that he had neatly put into their slot in his life. It made him restless to think that perhaps there was something he'd missed, that maybe Jounouchi didn't fit into the tidy pigeonhole Seto had cast him. But Seto didn't have the time or energy to try to change it. Again, he let Jounouchi Katsuya slip from his mind.

 

Mokuba Kaiba looked around his third class of the week with curiosity. Nobody looked familiar from his other courses. Of course not many people had a double major of Mechanical Engineering and Child Life Sciences. It was a very odd combination, even Mokuba admitted that, but the two allowed him to do what he loved best - design rides for amusement parks and help children cope with trauma or illness. In his mind they were not separate; one augmented the other. 

 

He had arrived ten minutes before class started because he had hoped to speak to the instructor about the lab time. He had a scheduling conflict with the timing and wanted to ask if he could attend the second class's lab. The classroom was worth his very curious look. Oversize furniture, bright garish colors, and clown faces that should have been fun but were somehow terrifying, filled the room and adorned the walls. It looked like a nightmarish room for giants. "Weird."

 

"Just a little perspective for what kids see and feel." A low, vaguely familiar voice rumbled from behind him in slightly accented English.

 

Mokuba spun around and actually gaped. Automatically he dropped into Japanese. "Jounouchi?"

 

The blond smiled slightly. "Don't you mean 'Jounouchi no yaro'?" He stepped forward and held out his hand. "Joey Wheeler while in the states. Nice to see you again Mokuba Kaiba. Use English please. I don't want the other students to feel isolated, or as if you are special or above them."

 

The college freshman actually had the grace to flush at the reminder of his childhood name for the other man. "Joey Wheeler it is." Mokuba nodded slightly. "Call me Mo please."

 

The blond man nodded. "Fair enough. I saw your name on the registration list. You're taking a double major right? With engineering?"

 

"Yes." The younger man's eyes appraised his old acquaintance. "You don't look much different. If I didn't know you were twenty-six, I'd think you were eighteen or nineteen. What are you doing here?"

 

"Thanks, I think. You look like a black-haired version of your brother - one that knows how to smile. I'm the instructor for this course." Jou shrugged slightly at the teen's wide eyes. "Adjunct only until I complete my masters. I also work at a level one trauma center as a Child Life Services specialist."

 

"Wow." Mokuba didn't fake his honest surprise. "I didn't know! That's amazing."

 

"Amazing?" Joey lifted a brow as a humorless smile touched his lips. "To you it probably is." With a shrug, he seemed to throw the darkness off. "You are here early. Did you need to speak to me?"

 

Mokuba had learned enough about people during his life to know better than to pursue what was obviously a sensitive topic. "Yes. The lab for the class is Wednesday and Friday, two until five. Is it possible I can attend this class but attend the other class's lab, on Tuesday and Thursday? My engineering lab is on Wednesday and Friday, eleven thirty to one thirty. The scheduling is very tight, and I have responsibilities at my company that I have to see to daily."

 

The instructor didn't even have to think about it. "I'm sorry I can't do that. Each class has a group project that is worked on in lab. A large portion of both grades is your participation in the lab as it applies in the classroom. You have to be with your class in lab. If your engineering instructor isn't willing to swap, you might have to change to the other class and lab combination or drop the class and lab altogether."

 

"Joun - Joey I already asked Mister Lassiter. He said no for the same reason." Mokuba explained. "Is there no way?"

 

"If the problem is that you have to be at work, try talking to your brother and working it out. Either that or you will have to drop one of the classes and labs. I know Lassiter's classes are available every semester, but because this is a stepped program, this course is only offered once a year. It is required for the next course which I will teach next semester."

 

"I understand." The young Kaiba pulled a wry face. "I'll talk to Seto."

 

"Let me know. Add/Drop is the end of next week." Joey glanced up as another student walked in. "Welcome."

 

The student, a pretty young woman in her twenties with light brown hair, nodded. "Thanks. Is Mister Wheeler here yet?"

 

"That would be me. Call me Joey. What can I do for you?" The instructor moved to talk to the woman.

 

"I'm Janine Michaels. I'm supposed to start your class today. When I went to the bookstore, they said they were out of books." She frowned slightly. "Did you know?"

 

"Me too." Mokuba stepped into their conversation. "I'm Mo. Nice to meet you Janine."

 

She nodded and smiled slightly. "Nice to meet you too. So you couldn't get a book either?"

 

"Said they were sold out." Mokuba shrugged. "Joey, did you know?"

 

"Books are a subject we will discuss in class." With a polite nod, he moved to the only normal sized furniture in the room - the teacher's desk and picked up a binder and pulled out a sheaf of papers divided neatly by paperclips.

 

Janine gave Mokuba a smile. "So, Mo, what's your major?"

 

Mokuba, after a curious look at his teacher, smiled back. "I'm doubling, Engineering and Child Life Services." When her eyes widened and the inevitable questions started, he answered as discreetly as possible.

 

**

 

Mokuba put his bags in his office and checked with his admin for any urgent issues. A few minor 'things' but nothing urgent. Since it was almost four-thirty he decided they could wait until the next morning, and a quick check of his brother's schedule told him Seto was free from four thirty onward as well. Mokuba knew his brother well enough to know that it was because he fully expected a report on Mokuba's first day of college.

 

As expected his brother sat at his desk. Instead of working on his computer, a large piece of thick art paper covered the surface. Seto's hand, holding a pencil in a loose, familiar grip, moved rapidly across the paper. Here was something that most people did not know. The designs and concepts that Seto was so famous for were originally hand drawn pieces of art.

 

It started with an idea, an image, that Seto visualized mentally then transferred with almost photographic detail to the paper, then the image was analyzed, refined and the engineering and logical parts of it took over. It was an incredible process and Mokuba had saved every single drawing his brother had ever created. When Seto retired he would bring them out and have them matted and framed to display at one of the Kaibalands.

 

When he entered the pencil stopped immediately and was laid down neatly. Bright blue eyes smiled slightly in welcome. "Well? How did it go?"

 

"I still love the campus. I've met a lot of people and most everyone is nice. There are a couple I think I'll ask out, if that is what you're asking." Mokuba teased. That was one subject that was danced around lightly - dating. Mokuba had dated several people but none seriously. He was a normal, healthy eighteen year old after all. He had never had a relationship that lasted more than a few weeks or months at most. At first because he had been too shy, coming from Japan to America and not comfortable with the societal norms. Then it had been because he simply hadn't had time or inclination. To the best of his knowledge Seto had never dated. Not that his brother would have talked to him about that aspect of his life. Seto had very specific ideas about what was appropriate in his role of 'parent' and adult aspects of his life were off limits.

 

"I'm glad you aren't having second thoughts about your choice and I'm happy you will be making friends. How about your classes? Anything stand out?" Seto grinned slightly, "Think you're going to need help with anything?"

 

"I doubt I'll have a problem. I tested out of the first three math classes required for the Engineering. I'm not sure I'll 'enjoy' A&P but I think I'll be okay. Only one issue I can think of." Mokuba laughed suddenly. "And you won't believe the reason or who else I saw today!"

 

"First tell me the issue, then tell me about your social life." The practical CEO smiled at the happy sound of his brother's laughter.

 

"Just scheduling. I can't change my lab times for either of my classes. I won't be able to come in on Wednesday and Friday afternoon. I will come a few hours earlier in the morning instead." He hesitated, looking at Seto in question. "Is that alright with you?"

 

"Of course. Remember I told you that school comes first. If you want to go on hiatus while in school I can handle it." Seto reminded him.

 

"I wouldn't do that to you." The black-haired young man shook his head slightly. "I don't know how you did it - college and expanding company - all by yourself. You need to lighten your load a little, not take on more." It was true. With the image of the still-youthful looking Joey in his head, he couldn't help but think his brother looked too old for his years, developing a careworn appearance that was usually only seen in middle-aged executives. Not that he was there yet, but Mokuba could see the beginnings of the look in Seto's slightly squinted eyes and pale, pale, skin.

 

"After you graduate I will take it easier - you are taking over half." Seto half-joked. "So tell me about the person you saw today - the one I would 'never guess’."

 

Reminded, Mokuba blurted, "Jounouchi!" At his brother's waiting look, he explained. "He's teaching my Intro to Child Life Sciences courses. He's goes by Joey Wheeler in the states."

 

"Jounouchi teaching?" Seto's deep voice actually rose a few octaves in shock.

 

Laughing again, Mokuba nodded. "I know right? The lowest scoring student in your high school a college level teacher at one of the best schools in the U.S. Adjunct only, but working on his Masters in Child Life Sciences." The laughter stopped, but his grey-blue eyes continued to dance with it. "He's good too. Has a really innovative approach to teaching. He says to understand how kids feel in an environment that is geared towards adults, we have to see it from their perspective. All of the tables and chairs are about thirty percent larger than normal. The walls are painfully bright and there are some freaky paintings of clowns that scare the piss out of me. He says that he will be changing everything out every few weeks so we can get a feel for what a child that is moving from place to place feels."  
"I see. It sounds like he's come into his own then." Seto nodded slightly. "What about the physics classes you wanted to take?"

 

Seto changed the subject so smoothly that it wasn't until much later that night that Mokuba realized that his brother's reaction was not quite what it should have been. His brother had always been weird about Jounouchi - snarling, angry, frustrated. Not at all like he was towards anyone else. Mokuba expected him to show more interest, but instead, beyond a simple comment, nothing. It didn't make sense at all. It was almost as if his brother had avoided the subject of the other man. But that couldn't be right. Why would Seto want to avoid the subject of Jounouchi Katsuya, the second-rate duelist, the make-inu. Why would he?

 

To test it, Mokuba went out of his way to mention Joey's class almost every day, and if he hadn't been watching for it, he would have never noticed how skillfully his brother avoided the topic without seeming too. After six weeks, his patience was at an end and he was tempted to ask why, but in the end decided that whatever the reason, Joey wasn't worth an argument with his brother so he let the subject lapse, resolving not to bring the blond man up again.

 

He managed to keep his resolve for exactly three days when a revelation so startling he had to share came his way. It was Thursday night and they were eating dinner when Mokuba brought up Joey. "Is it because Joey's gay that you don't like talking about him, Seto?"

 

When they had guests over they ate with silverware, but when it was just the two of them, they ate with chopsticks. Seto's chopsticks actually dropped to his plate. "What did you say Mokuba?"

 

"I noticed you changed the subject whenever I talked about Joey. I didn't know why he bothered you, but now I think I do. Is it because he's gay? Did he hit on you?"

 

"What makes you think he's gay? He was always dating Kujaku Mai in high school." Seto picked up his chopsticks again and made a show of pushing the food around on his plate.

 

"Then maybe he's bi. I left a notebook in lab, and had to go back and get it. That's why I was late tonight. Joey and this guy were in the room. I think he's another teacher or maybe an aide. Anyway, this guy was practically begging Joey to give him a chance and Joey was really cold. He said that it had been a mistake and that he was sorry, but he wasn't interested in a relationship and casual sex wasn't for him. The guy was really desperate. I thought he was going to cry or something, Joey just told him he was sorry again and to leave. I knocked on the door frame to let them know I was there and the guy took off. Joey just gave me a really hard look and asked what I needed. I grabbed my notebook and took off." Mokuba shifted a little. There was something very odd for just a moment in his brother's eyes, a kind of gleam that he'd never seen before. It was masked in an instant, but it left Mokuba shaken, with a feeling that something had changed.

 

Seto laid his chopsticks aside. "I did not know he was openly gay or bi. I've always thought him too deep in the closet to ever come out."

 

"What? Wait, you didn’t know? Is that why you always change the subject? He makes you uncomfortable?" Mokuba wasn't sure what his brother meant or how he knew something like that.

 

"Gays normally can spot other gays, Mokuba. It's popularly called 'Gaydar.' He's been on my Gaydar since we met, although I genuinely thought he was too closeted to ever come out much less live a homosexual lifestyle or have an honest relationship." Seto explained calmly, as if he were discussing the news or homework.

 

Several things hit Mokuba at once. First, his brother had just admitted to being gay, second he had admitted to knowing Joey was gay as well, and third, his brother had actually thought about Joey enough to consider the possibility of him coming out, of Joey having a relationship with another man. It was almost too much for the younger Kaiba. He could only gape at Seto as the adored older brother he had thought he knew - but now realized he didn't know at all - picked up his chopsticks and started to eat again.

 

Even though Seto ate, it was a mechanical process. All of his attention was focused on his brother sitting just across from him. His explanation had been a calculated risk, one he wasn't sorry he had taken. Mokuba was old enough to be able to handle the truth about this. Seto could only hope he had done a good enough job raising his brother that after the initial shock wore off, Mokuba would accept the truth.

 

He had just finished the last of his meal when Mokuba finally croaked, "You're gay?"

 

"Yes." No need to dress it up or hide it. Any extra details would only cloud the issue.

 

"You - You're sure? Or are you bi?" Mokuba didn't know why he asked, but for some reason he almost felt compelled to.

 

"I'm sure, Mokuba. I've never been interested in women. My sexual partners have been men." Another bomb, but it was best to make sure Mokuba knew exactly where Seto stood.

 

"Sexual partners? I didn't even know you'd ever been on a date." Why that seemed important was beyond the poleaxed teen's grasp, he just knew it was.

 

"I have never been on a 'date' in the sense you mean it. I have had discreet, professional liaisons that have been mutually beneficial to myself and my partner."

 

"Rent-boys? You use Rent-boys?" His voice broke in shock.

 

"Hardly. When I was in college I preferred more experienced men, usually in their late twenties. Now I prefer contemporaries. Before you ask, I always use protection and they sign confidentiality waivers."

 

Mokuba could feel the room spinning. Okay so maybe Seto keeping his private life to himself was a good idea because Mokuba wasn't sure he could handle it. "You... waiv... How many?"

 

"They tend to get clingy or demanding at about nine months. When they show signs of that kind of behavior I dismiss them. I have since my first, back when I started in college. I've had eleven partners and I don't remember their names, if I ever knew them, so don't ask."

"What?" That shocked Mokuba as much as anything else. "You don't get their names? You boink them for almost a year and don't know who they are?"

 

"I have a lawyer handle that end of things. I have specific tastes and a fantasy they play into. I call them by the name of my fantasy." Seto laid his napkin on the table and rose slowly. "It's none of your business and I shouldn't have even told you that much." Without another word Seto turned and left his thunderstruck brother gaping after him.

 

Seto was surprised and relieved when Mokuba didn't follow him right away. It gave them both some room. With a sigh he lowered himself slowly into his chair and leaned back, looking up at the ceiling of his office. He wasn't sorry he had come out to his brother, wasn't sorry he had been honest about his sexual habits. His little brother was growing up, legally an adult. It was time Mokuba realized that his brother had wants and needs of his own.

 

It was time for Seto to accept those needs for himself. Resolved, he sat up and turned on his laptop. There was work to do. Mokuba would seek him out when he was ready. Using the control honed over many years he put the subject from his mind and bent to work.

 

Three hours passed quietly, then just before midnight, the door to his office was flung open violently. "Seto I've got to talk to you." Mokuba practically shouted. "Damn it! You can't drop a bomb on me like that and just walk away."

 

"It's taken you this long to recover enough to find me." Seto closed the screen to his laptop and pushed it aside. "You obviously needed the time."

 

"You... Big brother I have never once considered you a jerk, never called you one, but you are coming really close to that now." The younger brother snapped.

 

In a rarely seen gesture of weariness Seto rubbed between his eyes. "Sit down Mokuba, and let’s discuss this like adults."

 

Mokuba flung himself across the room and into the chair directly across from his brother. "I have questions and I want answers." He glared, daring his brother to deny him. "I believe I'm entitled to them."

 

"Entitled? I won't argue Mokuba, but I don't necessarily agree. Ask your questions." Seto gave a single dip of his head.

 

"When did you know? Why am I just now finding out? Why tell me now? Have you had whores all along or did you ever have someone not bought and paid for?" Mokuba obviously had several more questions but Seto interrupted him there.

 

"Let me answer those first. When? I've always known I prefer men to women. There has never been a doubt in my mind." Seto shifted and leaned back. "Why are you finding out now? Because I've always considered you too young, too immature. Besides, it is my business and I like my privacy. I decided that you are old enough now to handle the truth." The brunet head lowered and the blue gaze studied the top of the desk for a moment. "I had a boyfriend once. I saw him becoming too dependant on me so I broke it off. With all the demands on my time, I decided relationships weren't worth investing in." Seto lifted his head and met his brother's gaze evenly. "You have more questions."

 

"Who else knows?" The question was relatively calm considering the trauma Mokuba was going through.

 

"Just my personal employees and my private lawyer." Seto knew that for a fact. He had never shown a single inclination to anyone else.

 

"And your boyfriend." Mokuba said softly.

 

"Yes, although I'm sure he's forgotten all about our flirtation. By all accounts he's had a very busy life."

 

Mokuba gave him a startled look. "You keep track of him?"

 

"Just friend of a friend information. I do not actively watch him. I don't even know where he lives." Seto admitted quietly.

 

"You still care for him." Mokuba saw it as clearly as he saw his brother's blue eyes. "It wasn't a crush - You love him, really love him." When his brother didn't answer, Mokuba plowed on. "That's why isn't it? Why you don't get involved with anyone else. You still love him."

 

"Mokuba, that is not the point." The brunet tried to change the subject. "You have more questions?"

 

"Nah, I'm good. See your gaydar missed that I am bi. Seto, this guy you're in love with..." Mokuba ignored his brother's flinch. "You're not going to discuss this with me right now, are you? Fine, I'll leave it alone until morning, then we're talking about it. Right now I need to think." He grinned slightly. "Not only did your gaydar miss me being bi, but you're not as observant as you always claim if you haven't noticed me checking out other guys."

 

"Mokuba!" Seto protested, then sighed. "Thank you for accepting me, Mokuba."

 

"I always have your back Seto." He paused for a moment. "Go to bed Seto. We have to talk in the morning and you are looking exhausted." Without another word the black-haired Kaiba turned and left his brother alone with his thoughts.

 

Seto took his advice, and after a check of the security system, sought his bed, falling into a deep, memory filled dream.

 

At the breakfast table Mokuba waited for Seto to fill his plate before diving head first into the topic Seto most wanted to avoid. "What are you going to do about him?"

 

"Do about him? Nothing. It's done." Quiet resignation filled his tone.

 

"Obviously not if you can't have another relationship. Seto tell me about him."

 

Abruptly Seto surged out of his chair. "There is no point Mokuba. You don't understand. I broke it off in the most brutal manner possible. He was dependent, looking on me like I was a hero. I didn't and still don't have time to be anyone's hero. I let him down and more than once I hurt him. I won't do that again. His pain was...unbearable."

 

"Seto, it's been years. You say his life has been busy. He's probably not the person you remember. I think you've built him up into someone he's not. Go see him - if for no other reason than to get rid of the baggage you're carrying around."

 

"I don't think that is a good idea." Seto dropped back into his chair and picked up his chopsticks. "I don't want to..."

 

"Seto, you said it. I'm an adult now and I will be leaving in just a few years. You... You need someone to keep you from drying up and blowing away. I'm not saying get with this guy, I'm saying get rid of the baggage with his name on it and find someone to love. You need someone to give you purpose, and someday maybe someone to start a family with - a lucky guy to adopt a couple great kids with."

 

"Mokuba, life isn't a fairy tale. He's likely to want to kick my ass if I show up on his doorstep now." The brunet admitted wryly.

 

"No it's not. But how many times have you said that life is what you make it? You need someone big brother, and unless you want me to start tossing eligible guys at you every chance I get, you need to take charge of this yourself. First thing you need to do is get rid of your 'personal employee'." Mokuba was determined. His brother was going to have a real relationship if it killed both of them.

 

"I did, weeks ago." Seto smiled. "My representative hasn't found me a new partner yet."

 

"Great, then take the rest of the week off and go see your 'crush'. I know the jet is kept ready, so I'll expect to see a flight plan filed." Seto would wiggle out of it if Mokuba gave an inch.

 

"I'll take care of it Mokuba. When he asks what I'm doing there, I'll blame you." Laughter curved the normally stern mouth.

 

"Wait, I know the guy?" For some reason that had never occurred to the young man.

 

"Never mind." Seto stood abruptly again. "I'll see you later Mokuba. Have a good day at school." Without another word the CEO strode away. He had never considered his brother dense, but now, with all the clues, Mokuba should at least suspect. Seto was going to have to work with his brother on that weakness - when the weakness didn't benefit him of course.

 

It was still early enough, six in the morning, that Seto could stop in and see 'the guy' and still make it to work on time. He was tempted to tell Mokuba that he had done it, but he had a feeling his brother would recognize the lie. He stopped in his home office to get an address that was too easy to find and, determined to get this first step over with, he took a small, utility car to work, hoping it was unobtrusive enough not to stand out in what was sure to be a low to middle-class neighborhood.

 

He was pleasantly surprised to find a nice, upscale, brownstone house at the address. Gathering his nerve, the normally stoic CEO swallowed hard and rang the bell. There were a few minutes silence, then the door opened a crack. A bright blue eye stared at him for a second in disbelief before opening wide. "Kaiba?"

 

"Ah... Mazaki?" Seto hazarded. The woman in front of him looked like an older version of Mazaki Anzu, but her being here, at this address, was a complete mystery.

 

"Yes, of course." She stared at him blankly for a moment before stepping back and inviting him into the narrow hall. "Please come in. As you can see I'm just getting dressed for rehearsal." She gestured down her body to the black and purple leotard.

 

Manners and curiosity made him step into the shadowed hall. "I see. Rehearsal?"

 

"Yes. I'm playing Ms. Honey in Matilda at the Shubert. They just extended us another month because the Lion King lost their backer." She smiled and after shutting and locking the door, turned to lead him into the house. "Everyone is in the kitchen right now."

 

"Mazaki..." He started to ask only to be cut off by her low laugh.

 

"Seto, call me Tea, or Ms. Gardener if you want to be formal. It is my professional name and the one I answer to now. I haven't heard Mazaki Anzu in close to five years." She chided.

 

"All right. Tea then." Seto faltered to a stop when he stepped into a kitchen-dining room combination and froze. At the table, in a scene straight from a domestic sit-com, Jounouchi - Joey Wheeler - sat with two children: a chestnut haired boy of about four and a blond girl of perhaps two. "Ah... Joey, Tea? You two are a couple?"

 

Startled golden eyes lifted to meet Seto's blue gaze. "Kaiba..." Silence filled the room for a moment, then Tea laughed again.

 

"Are you kidding? Joey is as queer as a three dollar bill. Seto come in and sit down. Joey is my renter and occasional babysitter. The two brats are Tyler and Rinny, my children. Before you ask, my husband was killed in a car accident before Rinny was born." She shooed him to the fourth chair at the table. "I have to finish getting dressed. You guys go ahead and talk, I'll hear you. The walls in this place are worse than the paper walls in japan."

 

There was a strained silence for all of two seconds before the boy, Tyler, leaned forward and poked a stubby finger against Seto's chest. "Who are you?"

 

"I'm Seto." Keep it brief and simple was the rule with kids. Simple was something Seto excelled at.

 

"Seetoo? Okay. I'm Tyler. You can call me Ty." Hazel brown-green eyes studied him carefully. "Are you going to eat?"

 

"No."

 

"'Kay." The little brunet shrugged. "Then you can feed Rinny. That way Unc' Joey can eat so his stomach will stop growling." The little boy made several rawring noises just to emphasize his point.

 

"Oh. we can't have that monster coming out can we?" Seto agreed solemnly. Obediently he turned to the little girl. "Hi."

 

She burbled a 'hi' through a mouth full of scrambled eggs.

 

With a quick look at the blond adult that was staring at him in shock, he took the child's plate and spoon from Joey and carefully scooped up another bite. He smiled his approval as the little girl opened for the spoon like a baby bird for her mother. "Joun - Joey."

 

"Kaiba. Why are you here?" The blond's voice had mellowed and smoothed over the years, something that hadn't been obvious during his duelling, but Seto guessed it made sense if he was a teacher. Students rarely responded to yelling.

 

"I came to see you." Another bite into the waiting mouth.

 

"Really?" The tone was mild, but still disbelieving. "We've lived in the same city for two - three years and you've never stopped by before."

 

"I thought you lived in Tokyo until Mokuba told me you were his instructor." The little girl spit out the third bite so Seto handed her a sippy cup.

 

"Makes sense I suppose. Not like you cared enough to ask anyone." The smooth even tones weren't even slightly bitter. Seto wasn't sure if he was happy or sad about that.

 

"You never visited or called and you knew we were here." He pointed out, slightly defensive despite Joey's lack of emotion.

 

"You know why. You were the one who said you never wanted to see my pathetic loser face again." The blond murmured mildly before turning his gaze to Tyler. "Go get your shoes on and brush your teeth champ, your mom is almost ready to leave."

 

The boy gave them a curious look but hopped out of his chair obligingly. "Thanks Unc' Joey, bye Seto." Tyler chirped and zoomed away.

 

Seto fed the little girl in silence, alternating the sippy cup and bites until both the cup and the plate were empty. He was amazed that the little blond-haired, hazel-blue-eyed girl could put away food at such a speed and volume .

 

Tea bustled back into the room just as Joey stood to clear the dishes. "Thanks Joey. Seto." She smiled slightly, but her eyes were sharp with curiosity as she looked between the two men. "I'll take Rinny now. Ty's probably in the hall waiting." With a smile, she nodded to Seto. "Nice of you to drop by. Don't be a stranger!" In a practiced move, she scooped the little girl out of her high chair and swayed from the room leaving a pool of silence behind her.

 

When the door closed behind them, Seto stood and crossed the small room to stand beside Joey while he washed dishes. "Don't you have anything to say to me? We haven't spoken alone since our last year in high school."

 

"I had plenty to say, then. Now I can't find much. You never let me get a word in back then, didn't listen, just assumed you knew everything, then cut me off at the knees." He drained the soapy water from the sink and pulled the faucet sprayer down, rinsing the soap from the clean dishes. "For a long time I was hurt and it didn't get any better. The last few months of high school were torture for me." Finally a trace of bitterness seeped through. "I owe you thanks for that I guess. If I hadn't needed to escape I would have never looked for scholarships in the U.S. I'd even forgotten I was born Joey Wheeler and an American citizen. So yeah, I guess I do have something to say to you. Thanks for destroying my heart. It didn't do much for me at the time, but it was what got me out of the slums and into a good profession." Joey Wheeler, the once Jounouchi Katsuya, dried his hands and turned to look at the tall CEO. "Since then I've been careful to stay away from you. Out of sight, out of mind I guess. The only times I've seen you have been when I was sure that I would not appear pathetic or a loser." He shrugged and spread his hands expressively. "So, why are you here?"

 

Seto didn't answer that question, instead he posed one of his own. "When did you come out? If I remember correctly you were terrified about coming out with our relationship."

 

"See that's what I meant." The teacher sighed and stepped back. "You didn't listen back then. I wasn't terrified to come out because of our relationship. I was scared of what our relationship would do to my sister - same as you were for your brother. I never said I didn't want to come out, just that I was scared." He shrugged slightly. "Water under the bridge. I came out as soon as I hit New York. I told the gang before I left." He laughed shortly. "Otogi was pissed because I hadn't come out sooner, but besides that nobody gave a damn."

 

Seto was remembering those conversations about when they should come out as a couple and how; separating his impressions versus what Jounouchi had actually said. Seto realized that it was possible that he had been wrong. Not that it mattered, as Joey had sait said, it was water under the bridge. "I see. I... for what it's worth I am sorry I didn't listen. If I had..."

 

Joey cut him off. "I don't play the 'What if' game, Kaiba. It's too self-defeating. I only play to win these days. Okay, I'm going to cut to the chase because I don't really want to drag this out any longer. Mokuba caught the scene with Dorian yesterday and relayed it to you. You are either here to bitch at me for being unprofessional and corrupting your brother, to warn me not to go near your brother - he's turned out pretty hot. Or, since you've never come out, you want to warn me not to tell your brother about our past. Which is it?"

 

Seto went rigid. "None. It never occurred to me that you would be interested in Mokuba or that you would discuss our past with him. The scene took place after lab and from what I understand you were not the instigator."

 

"Huh. I'm surprised. Then why are you here?" Genuine surprise and curiosity lit the depths of Joey's golden eyes, for just a moment reminding Seto of a time when they had been exploring each other, finding the beauty in each other.

 

"I... I have baggage from that time. I wanted to see you, to resolve it once and for all." Normally Seto would not have admitted to the weakness, but strangely, he felt he owed Katsuya - not Joey - Katsuya, the truth.

 

"Baggage from a relationship almost seven years ago that never truly reached any level of emotional closeness? I find that hard to believe." Joey's eyebrows met as he frowned and studied Seto's face closely. Seto tried to maintain an impassive mask, but had a feeling he failed when the blond let out a gusty breath. "Seto, have you had other relationships?"

 

"I have had sex twice a week since college." Since when was Kaiba Seto sounding so defensive? It felt even stranger than it sounded. He didn't owe Joey Wheeler an explanation of his personal life.

 

"Lucky you. I've had a couple less-than-a-year lovers and two one-nighters, but nothing regular lately. But that isn't what I asked. Fucking is easy, especially for you, with your looks and money. Have you had any other relationships, lovers?"

 

"I don't have time for..." A gentle touch on his arm stopped him. Instinctively he jerked away, cradling his arm across his body.

 

"Okay. So, you have baggage. Regrets for the way things turned out or for the way you acted? Anger at me for being a loser dog? What?" Joey's eyes were intent as they studied him.

 

"I don't know." Seto rubbed the spot where Joey had touched him, wishing it didn't tingle with a warmth that spread through him like sunlight. "I just think about you and I feel incomplete, like there was something left undone. Then you appear and I want to... the feeling doesn't... It's like there's something right in front of me that I need, and then you leave and there's nothing - just work and Mokuba and incomplete."

 

"Seto..." Golden eyes lit with realization. "If you think love is going to fall out of the sky you're wrong. You have to let it in, and you have to work to keep it."

 

"I don't expect anyone to love me. I just want to be free from this... this... incomplete." There. He had said it. "Sometimes I feel like there is a gaping hole inside me that nothing will ever fill."

 

Joey bowed his head and stared at the polished wood floor for a moment, then sighed and nodded. "I'll help you, because I think it will help me too. Seto, I think if we got to be friends, if we saw each other as we are now, we will be able to let go of the past. What do you say? Do you want to hang out, maybe try to be friends?"

 

That was more, much more, than Seto had ever anticipated. "I don't know what that means. What do you want from me?"

 

"Want?" Joey smiled slightly. "Not a damn thing. You can come hang out with me or I can hang with you. I play on a softball team, why don't you come play or watch me play? What do you like to do?"

 

"I... uhm..." He could hardly say work. "I like to go to concerts." Which was true. He had enjoyed himself the three times Mokuba had dragged him to one of the open air concerts in the park.

 

"Great, so do I. I've got a game tomorrow at ten. Why don't you come over at nine and we'll go to the game. After the game we can hang in the park and listen to the bands or we can come back and chill in front of the tube."

 

"Just that easy? Is it really just that easy for you?" It upset and thrilled Seto for reasons he refused to name.

 

"Yes, it is." The blond smiled slightly. "Kaiba, I may have been hurt, I may have been angry, but I never blamed you. I knew you were way outside of my reach and I knew you would end it. I don't hate you."

 

"You really mean that?" Turbulent blue eyes searched warm golden. "You really do?"

 

"Yeah, I do." A chime at the door brought both their gazes around. "Busy morning. Excuse me Seto."

 

Seto found the walls really were paper thin as Joey greeted 'Dorian' politely. He couldn't help overhearing their conversation, the desperation and need in the unknown man's voice and the cool resolve in Joey's. It ended with Joey closing the door on the other man's tearful entreaty.

 

"Hmm you've changed." Seto greeted his return to the room. "There was a time when you would have been crying with him."

 

"Not really. Seto, he only thinks he loves me, but he doesn't. The sex wasn't even that good. He just wants someone to care for him so badly that he'll take any port in the storm." A small, rueful smile touched Joey's lips. "Been there, done that. Sean, my first boyfriend after you, was my port in the storm. I lived with him for almost a year before we both admitted that I'd outgrown my need for him. He needed to be needed. We're still friends with occasional benefits." The rueful smile changed to wicked, "And the sex is terrific."

 

"On that note I'll leave. I really don't want to hear about your other lovers Ka - Joey." Seto rolled his eyes to disguise the clenching of his gut. He shouldn't feel anything but relief that Joey had moved on, but the casual way he discussed his lovers, the way he smiled, made Seto feel anything but relieved.

 

"You don't want to compare notes on how we've improved since those first times? I'm crushed." The wicked smile deepened.

 

"No! No notes or anything like that. If we're going to be friends, it will be without benefits!" The tall brunet made a beeline to the door.

 

"Never thought there would be. If I remember right you didn't have a lot of cock control. I've learned the benefits of cock control. Blue ball isn't a state I enjoy. But I will enjoy getting to know you again and being your friend. I've always thought you were an interesting guy. I'd like to be your friend." Joey grinned at him from the door. "See you tomorrow, Seto."

 

As Seto drove away in his small car, Joey went to his room and ran his finger down the spines of books on his personal bookshelf. His finger stopped on a particular title. 'The Blue Knot - Treatment Guidelines for ASCA.' He would need it for his class.

 

Mokuba settled into his Friday Child Life class with mixed feelings. Since speaking to his brother he'd put together a picture that was more than slightly shocking. Seto and Mokuba had been horrible to Jounouchi Katsuya, although later that had changed, it hadn't changed enough for Mokuba to be comfortable with the thought that Seto and Jounouchi had been involved, that Seto still had feelings for the blond. Maybe Seto hadn't avoided the topic of the instructor because of discomfort, but because of an emotional bond that still tethered his brother.

 

He only listened with half an ear to Joey's lecture about adult survivors and the wounded child inside that needed healing. He accepted the small book on treatment and waited for class to end. He was going to ask Joey outright if they had been involved back in the day. If the blonde confirmed it, Mokuba didn't know what he would do, but at least it would be one more worry off his mind.

 

He poked around inside his book bag until he and Joey were alone in the classroom but before he could open the discussion, Joey chuckled "You really are just like your brother. He used to mess around with his books until everyone left whenever he wanted to talk to me privately. What's on your mind Mokuba?"  
The younger Kaiba actually felt his breath leave him in gasp. On the face of it, the comment was harmless, a simple shared memory. But back then Seto had no reason to want to talk to Jounouchi privately, unless there was more to it than he knew. "I... Yes... Seto is.. uhm..." He faltered on the words, not sure how to phrase what had been a question but was now a certainty.

 

"Very good. I hadn't realized you would recognize it so quickly." The instructor nodded approvingly. "I doubt you will ever get him to seek counselling, but if you follow the guidelines, remember that he must feel safe, then I'm sure you will be able to help your brother."

 

"Help? But I..." Mokuba blinked at the strange turn in the conversation.

 

"To unravel the blue knot is going to be a real challenge. Read the guidelines and if you have any questions just ask me." The blond stood from his desk and nodded slightly. "I have to get to one of my own classes. Feel free to join Seto tomorrow." With a wave the blond hurried out the door.

 

"Uh... yeah, that went well - Not! What the hell was he talking about?" Mokuba frowned and shrugged. Tomorrow? What was Tomorrow? He would ask Seto at dinner.

 

He fully intended to meet his brother at the table, but was sidetracked by the handout he'd barely seen earlier. As he read, he became absorbed, engrossed in the intricacies of the treatment of adult survivors of child abuse. The more he read, not just the treatment but the reasoning behind it as well as the signs and symptoms indicating the treatment, he began to see what Joey had been talking about.

 

Mokuba had always considered his brother strong, indomitable, a leader who cared for nothing but his own goals - and Mokuba himself. Now, as he fit together the pieces of their childhood, the trauma they had both shared, Seto's ambition, his isolation, his huge physical boundaries, Mokuba had to think, really think. He wasn't going to change his opinion overnight, but looking at it analytically he had to concede that Joey might be right.

 

Seto wasn't superman, he wasn't a god, he was a man and... and if he was reading this correctly, a very wounded man. Something Jounouchi Katsuya - Joey Wheeler - had recognized. It didn't fit with his image of his brother, and he would have to think about it seriously. He wouldn't make any decisions until he'd had a chance to assess, maybe just observe Seto for a while.

 

That still left the question of tomorrow. What was tomorrow? And when had Joey spoken to Seto? Had Seto gone to see Joey, or had Joey called Seto? He would have to ask at dinner. Mokuba was still working out a way to bring the subject up when a knock at his door brought him out of his abstraction. "Yes?"

 

"Dinner time Mokuba." Seto poked his head around the door. "We're having teppanyaki tonight - the chef is waiting."

 

"Oh, yeah, sorry." Mokuba carefully put his book in his backpack. "Beef and shrimp? Zucchini? Celery?"

 

"Lobster and chicken too. I felt like variety. No zucchini though. Too slimy." Seto stepped further into the room. "Are you alright? You seem distracted." Undercurrents eddied through the deep voice. They piqued Mokuba's curiosity as very little else could.

 

"I'm good. Homework was harder than I thought is all. I'm studying a new topic in my CLS. It's unexpectedly challenging." That was a masterpiece of understatement. Not that the work was hard, but the overlap into real life was a concept he was still grappling with.

 

"Anything you need help with?" The irony of the situation was not lost on Mokuba. Seto had studied psychology during his college career, but for the simple reason of aiding in target marketing. Understanding how a market thinks helps in product design and development. Mokuba sincerely doubted Seto had ever actually applied the concepts taught in relation to himself.

 

"I'll let you know." He smiled at his older brother as he stood. "I'm starved! Let's go. I think lobster and shrimp sound great." As they made their way to the kitchen Mokuba glanced at his brother, struck by the easy stride. "Seto, you seem different, is the project going well?"

 

"Hmmm fairly. Although that isn't why I'm in a good mood." Blue eyes flicked to look at him. "I stopped by and spoke with Katsuya this morning. He rents from Mazaki Anzu - Tea Gardener now. You were right, I had built him up into something he wasn't. I thought he was languishing somewhere, heartbroken because I had dumped him." The blue eyes rolled slightly. "He isn't languishing, he's thriving and has long since gotten over me."

 

"I thought it was him." Mokuba admitted. "After I thought about it I realized it couldn't have been anyone else. Not that many gay guys in Domino High, and even fewer who had your attention. So have you realized you're not in love with him any more? Are you going to try for a relationship now that you've settled that?"

 

Seto hesitated for a few paces, then shrugged. "He is happy with his life and suggested we be friends. I think it is a good solution." A small sigh escaped him. "He isn't at all as I remember. In a way, I'm glad. If he had been loud and obnoxious I'm sure I would have had a different reaction. His temper always sparked my emotions. He will make a good friend."

 

"So no more baggage?" Mokuba pushed.

 

"He invited me to watch his baseball team tomorrow morning and I accepted. Does that sound like baggage?" The question was obviously rhetorical as they entered the kitchen at that moment.

 

Mokuba chose to answer anyway. "I guess not. Baseball huh? Think he'd mind if I tagged along? Lots of cute guys on a baseball team."

 

Strangely, Seto shook his head instantly. "It was an invitation for me. I don't think he meant plus one. Besides, you were having trouble with homework. You need to stay home and work on it."

The younger Kaiba hid his surprise behind an affable nod. "You're right I suppose." Not only did he have homework but Mokuba wanted to have some time alone to think about Seto's revelations from the night before and now his desire to be alone with a 'friend.' Somehow that didn't seem right and he wanted to think about it.

 

Over dinner, Mokuba was careful to avoid the topic of Joey and of Seto's personal life. He was taken off guard by Seto's opening of the topic. "As I said, I visited Katsuya this morning. It wasn't as awkward as I thought it would be although there were a few moments when Katsuya had to deal with a second visitor. I believe it was the same man you saw the other day - Dorian? Although I only heard the name, I didn't see him. He sounded like a whiny wimp though."

 

"Acted like it too, even though he didn't look it." Mokuba smiled slightly and shook his head. "I have to say, Joey's got good taste. He's probably almost thirty, but in great shape, built like a racehorse, all long muscles and tight body. His hair is kinda long and shaggy, cinnamon colored. Definitely hot."

 

"Hmmm well Katsuya said he was too needy." Seto glanced over as the chef slid their plates in front of them. "Thank you. You may go now." The man bowed and nodded.

 

"I will clean up and leave." The chef moved towards the teppan.

 

"I said you may go. We will handle the cleanup." Seto was immovable. He wanted to be alone with his brother. Not only that, but Seto had noticed the other man paying just a little too much attention to their conversation. Their food hadn't suffered for it, but it had been a close thing. Although he paid for his servant's discretion, that didn't mean they wouldn't betray him for a higher price.

 

"Thank you." The man mumbled and bowed again, hastily taking his exit.

 

"Hmmm..." Mokuba chewed reflexively on a bite of lobster. "Might need to look into a new chef."

 

"I was just thinking the same thing." Seto agreed as he picked up a bite of steak. "Hot hmm? But Katsuya dumped him after one night. The sex wasn't that good according to Katsuya." He didn't know it, but Mokuba certainly picked up on the faint hint of satisfaction in his brother's deep voice. 

 

That tone struck the black-haired teen as very wrong given Seto's earlier comments. "You guys talked about sex?"

 

"Just that Dorian was too needy, and the sex wasn't even that good. Not much else except that our friendship would be 'friends only' without benefits." Seto selected a bamboo shoot and carefully bit into it, enjoying the crisp texture.

 

"Eh... Seto, I'm going out on a limb here, you said 'flirtation' so I didn't think you meant 'lover.' You and Joey slept together?" Mokuba wasn't sure why but it seemed important. Seto knew the difference between lovers and a flirtation. Why was he being coy? This attitude was just so strange. Seto was acting very strange.

 

"A few times." A small smile touched the corner of the brunet's lips. "When I said no benefits he agreed - said it never occurred to him there would be." The smile faded and the normally controlled mouth firmed into its typical thin line. "He doesn't like blue-balls apparently."

 

That surprised a laugh out of Mokuba, earning him a dark look from his elder brother. Trying to stifle it, he asked "Seto, you left him hanging? No wonder he said no benefits."

 

The older brother carefully placed his chopsticks on the table and rose to his feet. "My lack of cock control - his words - are a moot point. I'm going upstairs now, I have work to do before the morning if I am going to attend a baseball game and 'hang.' You can clean up." With a cold glance that dared his little brother to make a comment, Seto crossed the kitchen. At the door he paused and glanced over his shoulder at Mokuba. "I no longer have that issue." Without another word to his snickering brother, he swept out.

 

Seto decided to take his favorite car Saturday morning, his Bugatti Veyron. It was a bargain - a thousand horsepower for two and a half million dollars and he didn't begrudge a penny paid. It was a dream of a car, two door sports coupe, dark blue with white leather interior, chrome trim. It roared like a lion and purred like a kitten depending on his will. He didn't own many toys, but the toys he bought - or built - were the best. Unlike most Veyron owners he didn't park his car in a garage and bring it out on a trailer. He drove it. Not every day, not even once a month, but enough to keep it well tuned and running perfectly.

 

He barely knocked when the door was flung wide and the little boy from the day before 'Ty' beamed up at him. "Hey Seetoo. You remember me? I'm Ty."

 

"Yes I remember you. Nice to see you again. Is Joey here?" He smiled down at the little boy, struck by the resemblance of the Mazaki Anzu from his memories.

 

"Yeah! He told me to watch the door for him. He was up late grading papers. He broke his alarm clock and didn't get up." A sly smile crossed the small face. "Fifth one since christmas."

 

"Not a morning person huh?" Seto felt a curl of warmth. That hadn't changed it seemed.

 

"He says whoever invented 'em should be put in jail." The boy nodded. "C'mon inside. Mom's in doing her stretches. Rinny is with her. I was watching the door. Now that you're here I'm gonna do stretches too. I can't wait 'til I'm older, then I'll get to pointe."

 

Ty closed the door behind Seto and pointed to the third door in the hall. "Joey's in there. I gotta go. I have to do my stretches and rhythm. I have to be eight when I start ballet but I can't wait. Sometimes mom lets me do some of the easy stuff."

 

"Have fun." Seto smiled slightly as the boy scampered off. He waited a moment, then knocked on the door. There was a rustle of sound, then the familiar voice called. "Yeah, come in."

 

Joey turned and glanced over as his door opened. "Hmm, three minutes late Seto. You're slipping. I remember when I was three minutes late for a date - our only date - and you cancelled it."

 

The anal businessman laughed and shook his head. "You actually believed that? How gullible were you? You pushed for the date and I agreed, but I had forgotten a meeting. They had flown in from Tokyo just for the meeting and I couldn't call it off. I knew you would be late - you were always late."

 

The blond stared at him for a moment, then laughed slightly. "Man, you were a dick. Why didn't you just tell me so we could go on another night?"

 

"I wanted to get laid." Seto admitted shamelessly. "If you remember, it was your 'apology' a few days later that ended with our first sexual experience."

 

Golden eyes glared at him for a moment before they became rueful and rolled. "Yeah I remember. You really were a dick. It's not like it was all that good. I mean what, a couple kisses and wham, bam, you're asleep and I'm cleaning up my blood and your jizz."

 

"I remember you yelling." The insulted man said stiffly.

 

"Yeah, it fucking hurt and you didn't even use lube or slow down, much less bother with a reach around." Joey snorted. "I really hope you've gotten better, for your partner's sake." The blond laughed it off lightly. "C'mon, I'll grab my bag and let's go. I assume you drove. You want to take my car or yours?"

 

"Mine." Still slightly insulted, Seto looked around Joey's bedroom. "Hmmm I expected red eyes decor or posters of Yugi. This is pretty boring."

 

"It's Anzu's place, she decorated it." He picked up his bag, sliding it over his shoulder. "Let's go."

 

The Veyron was exactly where and how Seto had left it. Not that he expected anything different. The alarm system was set to go off if someone got within six inches of it. He was gratified when his companion let out a low, appreciative whistle.

 

"Fantastic car. I've seen them on television a few times but never in real life.” Seto unlocked the doors and went to the driver's side as Joey slid in the passenger seat. The brunet should have known the other man wouldn't leave it at that.

 

"I know you don't have anything to compensate for, so why the bazillion dollar car?" He asked curiously.

 

"Maybe to make up for the lack of reach-around?" Seto retorted smartly as he put the car in gear and merged into traffic.

 

"Yeah well, consider the debt completely paid. Riding in this rocket is better than any nut I've ever had." The blond chuckled. "Hell I might even let you do me again if you let me drive."

 

Seto gave the blond an incredulous look, only to shake his head. "I almost thought you were serious."

 

"Hell no. I'll just enjoy the ride."

 

Joey sounded almost blissful so Seto took him at his word. "Where to?"

 

"Ah, Riverside park, east side." He mumbled on a sigh.

 

"Speak up, the GPS can't hear you." Seto ordered indulgently. Really, it did sound as if Katsuya was in some kind of sexual thrall just from riding in the car.

 

"Ah yeah." Joey coughed and sat up in the seat he'd practically melted into. "Riverside Park, East side. Twenty-first and Hardesty intersection."

 

"Calculating." The mechanical voice answered and Joey settled back in the seat.

 

"Talk to me Kaiba. Tell me what you have been up to." The blond invited.

 

"You know what I've been up to. Work, college, more work, raising Mokuba." Seto frowned as he changed lanes for the turn ahead.

 

"Yadda yadda. I can get that from the papers. C'mon, we're trying to be friends. Tell me what else. You used to duel but you quit that. What did you pick up when you dropped that?"

 

"Three more hours of work a day." Seto admitted quietly.

 

"Eh? I thought you'd taken up something else, like aerobatic flying of that dragon jet of yours." The blond grinned slightly. "That image got me through some gruelling tests, imagining you out there doing barrel rolls while I was stuck in a classroom studying PTSD in kids."

 

"You used to think about me?" That obviously surprised the CEO.

 

"Yeah, of course. You were a big part of my teenage years in one way or another. You were my first love, my first lover, and you helped shape who I am today. I really meant it when I said I don't hate you Seto. If anything I'm grateful to you."

 

"Grateful? For lousy sex and breaking your heart?" It was a really weird thing to be grateful for.

 

"Yep. You called me a loser and pathetic and after awhile I realized you were right, but I also figured out I had the power to change it. You changed who you were - an orphan thrown in the trash by your family. I figured if you could do it then so could I. You used your strengths and got out so I decided to follow your example. I took what I knew from my life, living with my dad and his abuse and did something with it. Like you did when you beat Gozaburo in chess." The Child Life Specialist turned and regarded Seto with sincere eyes. "You took what you had and made the best of it. You didn't ask for help and you didn't look for others to save you. I looked at myself and found the only thing I really knew - for myself - was how to cope with abuse. My grades weren't good enough for college in Japan, but in the States I'm top of the class. Their school standards are low. I practically aced the tests and got offered scholarships and stuff. I decided to go for it, to use what I had to get out of the pathetic loser hole I was in. Thanks to you Seto Kaiba. So yeah, despite the lousy sex and heartbreak, I think of you as someone special, someone I like and want to be friends with."

 

"Ah okay." Seto frowned. "Is gratitude why you offered to be friends when I told you I had baggage?"

 

"Some of it. The rest is true too. I think you're an interesting guy and would make a great friend." Joey owned honestly.

 

"Why would you think something that idiotic?" The blond's reasoning was completely outside logic. Seto had never shown anyone that kind of emotion or forged those kinds of bonds.

 

"Because you are not a bad person, and even if you were, everyone needs friends. I've kinda gotten good at reading people, and Seto, you need a friend more than you know. That's okay though because I really want to be your friend." He changed the topic abruptly, "So more work? C'mon man, what else? Do you have a hobby? Painting? I could so see you as an artist."

 

"I like to draw, but with pencils, not paint." Seto admitted quietly. It was true, he loved the beginning phases of a new design when it was just him and the paper.

 

"Tell me about it." Joey invited. "What do you like to draw?"

 

"Anything that comes to my mind. It can be a design for a new card, a retro circuit board, or something entirely new that is a great concept but entirely impossible." Under his skillful hands the purring car glided through the turn.

 

"A real renaissance man. You're like Da Vinci aren't you?" Joey asked in all seriousness.

 

Seto didn't know how to respond to that so he kept his mouth shut and changed lanes again.

 

"I mean, you invent stuff, even stuff you can't make. You draw, and you're a genius with math and science. Logic, too, I think." The blond chuckled. "But can you blow decently?"

 

"Blow decently?" The change of topic was bizarre to say the least. He wanted to know about oral skills? Not a skill he'd ever considered acquiring but now that he thought of it, it might not be too bad.

 

"Yeah, you know, with bubble gum. What did you think I meant?" There was a distinct laugh - and challenge - in Joey's voice. "I have some gum I chew when I'm playing. Keeps me from getting thirsty. It's a double bubble, bubblegum. You might be all that and a bag of chips, but can you blow a decent bubble?"

 

"I really have never tried." Seto frowned and shook his head. "Did you mean bubble gum or were you messing with me?"

 

"I really meant bubblegum. I'll give you a ball when we get to the park. What's your favorite flavor? I have classic bubble gum, sour apple, and blue raspberry." Joey smiled slightly. "I'm taking the classic bubble gum so you get sour apple and blue raspberry. Gotta warn ya, if you haven't had it, sour apple will make you pucker like you sucked a lemon."

 

The normally perceptive CEO didn't know what to think. Blow, pucker, suck all have sexual meanings and Joey had used them all in less than two minutes. Was Joey flirting with him? Teasing? Was it entirely innocent? "Hnn. Blue raspberry then." If he asked, he would come off like some kind of paranoid desperate, so he let it go, but if it kept up he would confront the blond and reconfirm the 'no benefits' clause. Sex wasn't an issue between friends, and that was what Katsuya had offered. Seto Kaiba wasn't a 'benefit.' If he wanted to offer something else more... intimate than a benefit... He jerked his attention back to what the blond was saying.

 

"Ah hey the turn you want is about half a block up on the right." Joey directed. "We're in the visitor's side. My team is the TU-Two... Short for Trauma Unit-Two. We're going against the sixty-seventh precinct team."

 

"You play against cops?"

 

"Yeah. They're off duty Seto, they aren't going to show up with guns and cuffs. Well not on the field anyway. When I'm not teaching I work at Presbyterian. It's a hospital team." Joey grinned. "Park next to the bleachers. I know there is a no parking sign but I don't think the cops are gonna say anything about it - the paperwork of this car getting stolen, plus if it was your car stolen, would be a little much."

 

"It wouldn't be stolen." Seto informed him placidly. No reason to explain the little extras he had incorporated into the security system of his car. Not all of them were exactly approved for use. But Joey was right. He pulled up next to the bleachers, careful not to block the pathways. When he reached to open the door Joey grabbed his arm.

 

"Wait up a sec." The blond's voice was strangely tense.

 

"Yes?" Seto turned and gave him a curious look. 

 

"Ah listen, I kinda told you about Dorian yesterday, but last night he called me saying crazy stuff. I've known him since I started college. He works at Presbyterian and he's an aide at the college. He's on the team so if he says anything to you, just ignore it okay?" He released Seto's arm and reached for his own door handle. “He's usually a nice guy. I'm the bad guy in this. I knew he needed commitment and I... I let my dick overrule my conscience. "

 

"Happen often?" The brunet sniped. Wonderful; now he might have to put up with a scene? This really wasn't a good idea.

 

"Twice in my entire life. I told him the score, but he didn't listen. I knew he wouldn't, but he is fucking gorgeous and I was feeling low. Are you saying you've never banged anyone who got you hot even when you knew it would be bad for you?" Joey challenged him directly.

 

"Yes - Once..." Seto dipped his head briefly. "I ended up with baggage." He hesitated a moment. "Am I going to have to deal with your other 'fling?'" Seto asked very primly.

 

"Well shit. You know how to make a guy work for it, you know? The other guy I went with for a night was getting back at his cheating partner. I didn't know until the partner walked in on us. That wasn't a good scene. We were... The guy I was banging had never bottomed for his guy and he was... Well I don't bottom and he was all up for... His guy walked in while I was ass deep and after I figured out what was going on, I thought I was dead. This guy's partner was a mountain, taller than you and twice as wide. Just when I started saying my prayers, he started bawling like a baby. I got the hell out, but it was not something I ever want to happen again so I avoid casual stuff." The blond blew out a huff of air. "You won't have to deal with it."

 

"Just Dorian the Stalker?" Seto chuckled. "God Katsuya, your dick can pick them." Then he stopped laughing abruptly. "What do you mean you don't bottom?" He didn't need to elaborate on the question. In their times together Katsuya hadn't topped once.

 

"Ah yeah, no offense Kaiba, but I didn't really get off when we had sex. I mean, I'm sure if we knew what we were doing it might have been different, but my ass was sore and I bled for days. I couldn't go to the bathroom without bleeding. Not to mention the blue ball. Gawd, it sucked. Besides, it's not like I've ever had the chance to try it out again. Every guy I've ever been with, since you, has been a total bottom. I know it's rare but really that's how they were." The blond gave him a small smile. "That's kinda why I'm not worried about the 'benefits' package. Not only do I know you would never let someone top you - I know I'll never let anyone top me again." 

 

Seto felt as if the air had been punched from his chest. He gasped slightly and admitted, "Yeah, I'd have to be tied to bedposts. I'd never let anyone top me."

 

Joey actually bent forward and bashed his head on the dash like he had to his desks in school. "Shit Dragon, don't say things like that. Do you know how many times I dreamed of tying you up and fucking you until we both passed out? Before we got together? After we broke up?"

 

"Don't hurt the car." Seto grumbled, hiding the sudden tightness in his chest. Dragon? Puppy and Dragon had been their 'pillow' names for each other. "We need to stop talking about sex. Why do you keep bringing it up?"

 

"Probably because you are expecting me to. I like to live up - and down - to your expectations. Always have." Joey shrugged and rummaged in his bag a moment bringing out a plastic tube of gumballs. Grinning he opened it and popped the pink one in his mouth and then dumped the dark blue one in Seto's hand. "I'll give you 'til the end of the game to practice blowing." With a smirk, Joey deliberately blew a bubble. "Eat up, and I think we better get out. This car has attracted a crowd."

 

Seto slipped the round ball and bit carefully. The sweet/sour taste wasn't unpleasant so he continued to chew as he blinked out the windshield, startled to realize he had been so focused on Katsuya and their conversation that he hadn't noticed the crowd forming. "Your game starts soon anyway. Bubblegum and crowds won't distract me forever. Katsuya we will talk about this later." It was a promise and a warning. If the blond heard, he didn't give any sign as he slid out of the car.

 

"Yo! Guys quit breathin' on the paint." Joey sent Seto a laughing glance as the tall brunet climbed out of the car. "My friend isn't known to be tolerant." It sounded like an insult, but the warmth in Joey's golden eyes and the fondness in his voice was enough to tell anyone listening that Joey genuinely liked and respected Kaiba Seto. Of course the deliberate pop-smack of the bubble the blond blew made it that much more casual.

 

Seto saw the recognition and wariness for him take the place of the admiration for his car. He knew better than to try to address anyone. They would either be terrified of him or suck up to him. He'd seen it all a thousand times before. Unconsciously he chewed his gum a little more vigorously.

 

This time it was different though because Joey made it different. With a broad wave he announced. "Oh yeah, this is my friend from high school, Seto. Seto meet everyone. Everyone meet Seto. Eh..." Joey looked at a couple of the players from the other team. "You guys mind he parks here? He's kinda attached to his car. You shoulda seen him when I asked to drive it. I thought he was going to cry." Joey blew another bubble and lied straight-faced, but with such teasing amusement that nobody questioned it.

 

One of the officers on the other team chuckled slightly. "Don't blame him. If it was mine I'd sleep in it. Gawd, it is gorgeous. I think it'll be okay." The man looked around to his teammates. "You think?"

 

An older man, heavyset, with graying hair stroked his neatly trimmed beard thoughtfully. "I guess it'll be okay, if Seto don't mind that everyone and their third cousin is going to want to get close to it." He frowned fiercely. "Smudge the paint... a crime... Well if someone smudges, we'll just arrest them." He grinned. "Right guys?"

 

There was a concerted agreement, then, as if they had known Seto as long as Joey had, and with a bonhomme that would have sent Seto screaming into the night in high school, they began to pepper the obviously erroneously portrayed as 'cold' man with questions about the Veyron's speed, performance, and anything else they could think of.

 

Seto was a little stiff at first, but after a few questions he relaxed slightly, and when Katsuya moved around the car to stand next to him, just brushing their arms, he relaxed even more, answering easily, chewing on his gum and working out how to blow a bubble to rival the ones Joey was popping, not dominating the conversation or showing off, simply sharing his love of fine automobiles and experiencing the oddly addictive oral stimulation of bubble gum. To his surprise, Seto found he was actually enjoying the conversation and would have been happy to continue for a while longer when someone called sharply "Are we playing or what?"

 

Seto looked over to the man and caught his breath. He was gorgeous. Maybe twenty-seven, with dark red-brown hair and hazel green eyes set in a face that could have been used on a Botticelli angel - a fallen Botticelli angel - with a high forehead accented by a widow's peak, sculpted cheekbones, and full pouting lips, his face saved from being feminine by the strong chin and jaw. He was staring at Seto as if he'd like to cause Seto severe pain. 

 

He didn't have to puzzle out the other man's animosity for long because Jou waved and called affably, "Yeah sorry Dorian. Let’s go guys. Seto'll be here after the game and I'm sure he wants to tell you about his Lamborghini or something." There were several good natured grumbles and a couple guys actually moaned in what could have been orgasmic bliss. 

 

Seto, seeing several women eyeing him like he was a piece of chocolate and they were having hormonal cravings, crawled on the hood of the car and sprawled back against the windshield instead of sitting in the bleachers. He'd risk scratching the paint of his multimillion dollar car before trying to fight off horny women any minute of the day.

 

Seto found that he was actually enjoying the game. It wasn't professional - it was obviously a 'friends and fun' league, but it was entertaining. The good natured teasing, the occasional hard hits, and even the sliding - which everyone seemed to do whether they needed to or not - were all pieces that enhanced the experience. When a 'semi-comfortable' spot, warm sunlight, and the more than occasional warm glance from Katsuya were added, the entertainment value ratcheted up to the most fun Seto could remember having in years. The brunet found he didn't even mind the infrequent questions hesitantly tossed his way, first about cars then about his products.

 

Seto wasn't really watching the game. Katsuya was out in right field and nobody was hitting out that far. Instead he was gazing up at the blue sky with its puffs of white cloud and blowing respectable sized bubbles, when a deep masculine voice said softly, "I recognize you."

 

Seto turned his head and stared hard, his breath catching again. What the hell was in the water here? Seto was tall and knew he was considered attractive, but Dorian and now this person were in their own leagues. Whoever he was, he was a mountain of a man that was more than a match 'Dorian' in the looks department and dwarfed them both in size. With tobacco brown hair and light blue-green eyes and classical features, he stood towering over the Veyron staring out at the field. Seto, mellow, but aware of a threat as he always was, murmured. "I'm in the paper and on the news frequently."

 

"Nah, that's not it. I used to see your face in a picture next to my bed every morning. The blue uniform jacket matched your eyes." The blue-green eyes cut to Seto with open warning. "I'm Sean, and I'm the guy who put Jounouchi Katsuya back together after you destroyed him. He's not that kid anymore. Joey Wheeler is not Jounouchi Katsuya - and I'm warning you - break him again and I'll break you." Without another word the incredible hulk meets adonis walked to the bleachers, calling out to people he obviously knew.

 

Seto blinked after the man, wondering what the odds were that two -three counting himself - of Katsuya's five lovers were here. He didn't have to worry long though because Joey's team came infield and Seto watched Joey as he noticed the giant 'Sean.' There was a noticeable pause in his step, then strangely Joey's golden gaze cut to him - Seto - anxiously, before turning back to Sean as he jogged towards the bleachers and the waiting man. "Yo! Sean, what's up? Thought you couldn't hang this weekend?"

 

"My date cancelled at the last minute, and then I got a text telling me about that hot machine and I came down to check it out." The green-blue gaze turned to the Veyron, skipping over Seto's reclining form.

 

"Yeah? You got an in with one of the cops? Maybe you can get me out of a ticket I got the other day." Joey teased.

 

"Don't worry Joey, I've always got your back." It was said lightly, but there was no doubting the sincerity.

 

Instead of stopping at the bleachers to chat with Sean, Joey jogged up to Seto. "Hey Kaiba can I just open the door? I want to get my wallet out so I can buy some water. Hot out there, but close enough to endgame to get a drink." The blond grimaced. "I accidentally swallowed my gum sliding into third earlier.”

 

Seto let his bubble deflate and pulled the gum back into his mouth. "I'll get it." He offered as he swung off the hood.

 

"Uhm..." the blond chewed his lip. "They only take cash."

 

"I always carry a few thousand for emergencies." Seto shrugged.

 

"Small bills? 'Cause water is only a dollar and most pay in singles.

 

"Fives, tens, Twenties, fifties, hundreds." Seto rattled off with ease. "Emergencies of all types, big and small, Joey."

 

"Well hell for all I know you could wipe your ass with twenties. Just telling you so you know." Joey frowned and sighed. "Sorry Seto, I'm a little tense. I didn't expect Sean to show up. It has me rattled and I took it out on you."

 

"Rattled? Why? Your ex - exes - are quite beautiful. You have nothing to be ashamed of." Seto soothed, or pretended to. The manipulative CEO knew very well he was turning the knife. There was no way guys he'd slept with turning up could not be awkward and fraught for Joey. He blew an impressive bubble and sucked it back in.

 

"Heh, pretty good with blowing there. I'm not worried about what you think of them or ashamed in any way." He turned and met the blue eyes squarely. "I just realized something that I thought had changed hasn't changed at all." He smiled and nodded. "Thanks for the water. Concession stand is in the grandstand. I'm going to talk to Sean for a minute." With a quick smile Joey jogged over to his ex lover. 

 

Seto watched them for a moment, struck by how naturally Joey greeted the other man, the easy way 'Sean' tossed a massive arm over the the blond's shoulder. There was animation, a hint of sly teasing, and genuine fondness in Katsuya's expression. A movement behind the two caught Seto's attention. Dorian was walking towards them, his expression a mix of cunning and triumph. Seto didn't need to see more than that look to know that Dorian was the one who had texted Sean.

 

Seto didn't waste a sneer on the gloating man. The idiot didn't know Katsuya if he thought that the honest blond would respond to well to underhanded tactics. Without so much as a second glance at any of them, Seto stretched his long legs towards the concession stand.

 

He was juggling four bottles, feeling like an idiot for buying for Katsuya's other exes, when a boy of about six stopped in front of him and gave him a superior look. "It won't matter."

 

"What?" Seto stared at the boy in shock. There was no way the child could know anything about him - them. What was the kid babbling about.

 

"All the water. It won't matter how much you drink. Everyone knows Joey chews Painterz. He gave you a blue didn't he?" Strangely, the child sounded jealous.

 

"Yes, but why does that matter?" Seto was still baffled, but the word 'Painterz' was sending a tingle of alarm up his spine.

 

"You're lucky. Painterz got bought out and when Joey heard he went and bought all the packages he could get. He never shares." The kid gave a disgruntled pout. "And he gave you the coolest color. Why are you trying to get rid of it? If you didn't want your mouth blue why chew the gum?"

 

Seto's genius brain made the connection, albeit slower than it should have. "So water won't work?"

 

"Nothing works. It fades after a few hours, except when you get it on your skin, then it can be overnight. You look like you blew a lot of bubbles. You have blue dots all over your face. You look so cool!" The boy pouted and sighed wistfully. "If I had blue dots on my face. My mom would freak, just freak! I wish he would share with me, but he says no because he doesn't have enough for everyone and it wouldn't be right."

 

"Yes, besides I had to promise him a ride in my car to get it." Seto said solemnly. "I'll remember what you said about the water, but I think you're right. Blue dots are cool." His response must have been what the boy wanted because the kid gave an impish grin and dashed off.

 

Seto focused on Joey with the intensity of a heat seeking missile. He didn't run, but he definitely moved a lot faster as he steamed towards his target. He completely ignored the exes and dropping back into their native language, snarled "Jounouchi no yaro! Baka! Bonkotsu! Make-Inu..."

 

"Nani ga atta ka?" Jou blinked at the enraged man and asked what had happened.

 

"What happened? What happened?!!! My face is what happened. Blue spots? Blow bubbles? You planned this!" Seto seethed.

 

"Of course I did." Joey admitted easily. "Man lighten up, it was just a joke between friends."

 

"Lighten up?" The blue-freckled brunet gaped for a moment, then hurled a bottle of water at the blond head. To his fury Joey caught it easily. With more muscle he chucked a second one only to find the idiot caught it in his baseball glove.

 

With a growl Seto twisted the cap off the bottle like he wanted to twist Joey’s head off his neck, and with a squeeze sent a stream of water all over the wide-eyed blond's head and chest.

 

Joey was too stunned to take cover, then it was too late, so he did the only thing he could think of. He twisted the cap off one of the waters Seto had thrown and returned the favor, squirting the speckled CEO right in the face. There was an instant when both froze, and with identical snarls they reached for their second weapons and twin streams of water shot across the distance between them. When the bottles were empty they stepped together and reached out, determined to wrestle the other into submission only to grasp each other's hands, wrestling back and forth for dominance; neither giving an inch.

 

Just like when they were young, they were completely oblivious to their audience and the growing laughter around them. They continued to grapple and swear at each other for a few minutes, then abruptly, Joey threw back his head and laughed. Not the warm controlled laughter that everyone who knew him in America was used to, but the loud, raucous whoop that was the trademark of Jounouchi Katsuya.

 

The sound froze them both. Slowly, Seto lowered his forehead to rest against Katsuya's. "God, Katsuya, I missed you." He rasped, barely above a whisper.

 

The blond stepped back slightly and gently brushed his nose against Seto's. "I missed you too." He whispered back.

 

Before either of them could say more, a player from the outfield yelled, "Hey, are we having water fights or playing ball?"

 

They both jumped as if struck by lightening and broke apart, awkwardly letting go of each other's hands and mumbling about the game and the car. "Ah water." Seto burst out, needing a moment to gather himself. "I'll uh... I'll go get some more."

 

"Only if you promise not to pour it on me." Joey teased as he regained control and trotted back to the player benches.

 

Dorian swivelled his head between Kaiba and Joey. "Sean, what was that about? I thought... Wasn't Kaiba furious?"

 

Sean was watching Joey with soft eyes. "You texted me here hoping to cause problems, not because you were really worried for Joey."

 

"That's not true! You're the one who told me what that ass did to him before. Of course I'm worried." Dorian protested.

 

"I don't think you have to be. Dorian, have you ever been so in love with someone that even if you are killing mad at them, if they give you just a look, a word, all of that anger disappears and the love floods over you like a tidal wave?"

 

"Ah.. No? Not really. I don't know what you mean exactly."

 

"What you just saw - from both of them - was an example. Kaiba was furious but as soon as Joey laughed he completely forgot everything and focused on Joey's happiness. As soon as Joey had Seto's attention his anger disappeared as well." The clinical psychologist smiled slightly. "Seto gets happy when Joey is happy - and Joey is happy when Seto gives him his attention, any attention." The smile tightened around the edges. "They were too young and Joey didn't know enough to break through, but now, now I think we're going to see something pretty special develop."

 

"You don't think Kaiba will hurt him again?" The younger man asked disbelievingly.

 

"Joey's happiness made him happy so I think it's safe to assume Joey’s misery would bring Kaiba misery. Seto Kaiba doesn't seem like a masochist. I think they will be all right." He glared down at Dorian. "We're leaving - make your excuses. You're not staying here to cause more trouble."

 

"But I..."

 

Sean called over to the benches "Dorian and I are heading out - hot date. See you all later." He didn't give Dorian time to protest, just dragged him over to his Honda Goldwing, plunked a helmet on his head and practically shoved him on the bike. "Shut up. If you're lucky I'll spank your ass for being such a green-eyed little shit. I cancelled a date I'd been trying to land for months because of your crap." He started the bike and ordered "Hold on tight." And put the bike in gear.

 

Joey didn't notice them leave. He was too preoccupied with warming up; he was next at bat. Seto knew they left, but he was frankly too preoccupied with controlling the wild surges of emotions that were pushing him to go drag Katsuya back to the car and drive somewhere to be alone.

 

Once he would have done just that. Not the dragging, but he would have caused an argument or scene that would have necessitated both of them leaving and once they were safely away, they would have been all over each other. But he couldn't - didn't want to do that now. He didn't want a burst of anger, frenzy and then satisfaction. Now that he knew that his lover hadn't ever really enjoyed that, Seto didn't want to provoke it. He didn't want to leave Katsuya unsatisfied and hurting again.

 

If - and it was still if - they ever got together sexually again, Seto would make sure they both enjoyed it. He might have only been with people he'd paid for, but he only bought the best, so he had learned from the best. There were things he never cared to learn, but that didn't mean he was completely unskilled or unwilling to try new things.

 

Seto was still contemplating the things he might be willing to try if he and Katsuya ever decided mutually to explore the another relationship when the blond's laughing voice brought him out of his thoughts. "The game was that boring huh?"

 

Seto sat up from his comfortable sprawl on the hood of his car and turned to look at Joey. He couldn't stop his snort of laughter at the ridiculous picture the other man made. "You should never wear a hat over wet hair Joey." He sputtered through his chuckles. "You look like a blond Boost Warrior."

 

That made the blond snicker. "Nah, wearing the hat's not the problem. Taking it off is."

 

Still laughing Seto nodded. "I suppose." He tilted his head slightly in consideration, blue eyes still dancing with laughter. "Super Saiyan Vegeta."

 

Again the distinctive loud whoop of Jounouchi Katsuya rang around the park. "You like Dragon Ball!"

 

"Future Trunks is hot." Seto allowed, grinning slightly.

 

Joey nodded, a smile playing around his lips. "I think Piccolo is hot. Something about cerebral guys get me."

 

"Hmm..." The genius brunet slid off the car and unexpectedly stripped off his still wet shirt. "He's green, besides he starts off as a bad guy."

 

"Green ain't bad if he wears it well, and he has the whole redeemed villain thing going for him. Nothing hotter than a bad guy trying to go good." Joey's eyes widened slightly before he tore his gaze away from Seto's pale, sculpted chest. "Do I gotta take off my shirt too?"

 

"I don't want my leather wet. Besides, you have a shirt to change into. I don't." He grimaced down at himself.

 

"I got a spare shirt you can borrow." He rummaged in his sport bag for a moment, then pulled out the shirt he'd worn earlier, and a small square of dark green cloth. "Here." He handed the folded green shirt to Seto.

 

The normally impeccably - if eccentrically - dressed CEO unfolded the green wife beater and gaped. "Space invaders?" The pictures on the front of the shirt were instantly recognizable as the 'monsters' from the retro-eighties game. It was an icon of the milestones of video gaming and anyone who lived in the times or was part of the business would never mistake them for anything else.

 

"You like?" Blond brows rose slightly, as if daring him to criticize.

 

Seto yanked it over his head, enjoying the clinging cotton softness as it settled against his body. "Yes. You're not getting it back." A quick button push and the doors of the car unlocked and they climbed in the Bugatti.

 

"That's okay. I'll just enjoy the view." Joey shrugged philosophically. "It looks better on you than me anyway." A wicked smiled slashed across his face. "I told you - green is hot." 

 

That brought up the elephant in the car. "Katsuya..."

 

"Nah, nah, I know. Friends only, no benefits. Don't get your panties in a knot. But I'm not going to deny you look good or that I would enjoy sex with you. Are you going to deny the attraction is still there?"

 

"No, but..."

 

"We're adults, not ruled by our gonads. We can be friends. We just have to avoid getting fired up." Joey smiled slightly. "We can do it - I really want to be your friend more than your fuck buddy."

 

"All right." Seto didn't know if he was relieved or disappointed. He would analyze his feelings later. Right now they had other issues. "In that case, Friend, since we both enjoy Dragon Ball so much, why don't we go hang at my place - I have all of the episodes. I'll even have the chef make us curry for dinner tonight."

 

"Hmm... I have to be home by six. I have a date tonight." Joey didn't explain that it was with Ty and Rinny. Tea had to perform and her regular sitter had called out.

 

"So we have about four hours of uninterrupted DB." Seto nodded. "I'll take you home of course. What seasons do you like best?"

 

As they talked about the anime and their favorite seasons and characters, Seto made short work of the trip. If his hands were just a little too tight on the steering wheel or his foot too heavy on the gas, he pretended not to notice.

 

****

Sunday passed without a word from Joey and Seto wasn't sure if he should call and set up another appointment or to wait for Joey to call him. It wasn't like they were dating, not that Seto had any experience with 'dating' but for some reason he had expected his 'friend' to call.

 

Monday and still no contact had Seto more snarky than usual. He had actually gone over every detail of the game and then hanging out watching anime. He couldn't see where he'd done anything to cause Joey to not call. The blond had been cheerful, friendly and they had exchanged numbers. Joey had even said he would call. So why hadn't he? Had Katsuya changed his mind? Why had he ignored Seto for two days?

 

By dinnertime on monday, Seto was ready to rip the head off of anyone who breathed wrong. Mokuba was a couple minutes late and Seto unloaded on him about everything from his lack of manners to his thoughtless, selfish attitude. Mokuba watched him with wide eyes that, instead of falling away in shame as they should have, began to twinkle.

 

When Seto paused for a breath, his clever little brother said dulcetly, "Joey gave me a message for you."

 

"That has nothing to do with..." Abruptly he changed what he was saying. "What message?"

 

"He said to tell you that 'Rinny' had dropped his phone in the fish tank and that he would call you when he got his new one. He's picking it up tomorrow." The black-haired teen smiled slightly. "He said he's getting a smartphone."

 

"Hmph. Something needs to be smart about him." Seto grumped, but Mokuba's keen eyes watched as turbulent cerulean blue eyes calmed. "How was class today?"

 

"Good, really good. Ah, hey Seto I need your help with an assignment." The younger brother hesitated. This was a big step, one he wasn't sure he could handle, but he was going to try.

 

"What assignment? Engineering? Designing?" The brilliant inventor looked up eagerly.

 

"No, for my other class. I need to gain insight and develop empathy for someone with a traumatic childhood. I was wondering if you would help me. I need to develop my interview techniques and work on getting the person to feel safe enough to open up to me, so I can form a rapport." He took a careful bite of his dinner. "I... To do that I have to find common ground in experiences. I... I don't want to talk to anyone about what happened with Dad and Gozaburo. Those things are personal. You shared it with me so I was hoping we could talk."

 

"You have to do this?" Dark chestnut brows drew together over blue eyes.

 

"I do. I know it's not something you - we - have ever discussed but I need it for class. I can't fake it." The black-haired teen held his breath.

 

"All right Mokuba. But you are wrong, I have discussed this. I was in counselling for three years. I wanted you to see my counsellor but she said that you had to be ready for that. I didn't think you were." Calmly, Seto took a bite, chewing thoroughly before laying his chopsticks down and lifting his eyes to meet his brother's shocked gaze. "I stopped regular sessions about six months ago. Now I go when I feel overwhelmed or when the blackness comes back."

 

"You never told me." Mokuba couldn't keep the hurt he felt out of his voice.

 

"Because I didn't want you to feel pressured to go. You will seek help when you need it. You are an intelligent, intuitive young man and I have every faith in you." Seto reassured.

 

"I... all right. Will you talk to me?" Mokuba believed his brother, of course he did, but... but he wanted to see for himself.

 

"I said I would." Seto picked up his chopsticks and started to eat again. Mokuba, after a long look at the bent head of his brother, picked up his as well. He couldn't help wondering what else about his brother he didn't know.

 

***

 

Seto was comfortably ensconced in his thickly padded, leather office chair when his personal cell phone chirped with a text. Mokuba was the only one who texted him, and Mokuba was three feet from him talking to one of the design engineers. Curious, he opened message and snort-chuckled at the strange message. "A computer beat me in chess, but it was no match when it came to kick boxing - Emo Philips" 

 

A check of the number, Joey's, and he smiled to himself and sent back a message. "Random." He set the phone on his desk and went back to looking at the document on his computer monitor. A minute went by and his phone chirped again.

 

This time he stifled his chuckle, but only because he clapped a hand over his mouth. It was a reference to a famous retro game and brought to mind the green shirt that was folded in his drawer. "Who's the biggest prostitute in history? Ms. Pacman, for 25 cents the whore swallowed balls till she died."

 

Of course he had to reply to that one. "You should not be drunk-texting." He didn't honestly believe Joey was drunk, but it was sure to get a rise out of him.

 

Almost instantly his phone chirped. "You're riding a horse full speed, there's a giraffe beside you, and you're being chased by a lion. What do you do? Get your drunk ass off the carousel."

 

He snickered and ignored the looks from Mokuba and the support staff around them and sent another message. "Class cancelled? You are obviously bored."

 

Another moment, then another chirp. "Save me from my boredom! Googling jokes is addictive. Meet me for coffee! SAVE ME!!!"

 

Warmth spiraled through his chest and belly. Before he could change his mind he sent back, "Boneshakers, on Ainsley. Half an hour. I didn't get breakfast so I hope you're hungry."

 

When Joey's "Always hungry. See you in twenty-nine." arrived, Seto rose from his chair abruptly. When Mokuba and the rest gave him inquiring looks he shrugged. "Going for coffee with a friend. Might be back, might not. Depends on if my friend has plans. Mokuba you can handle it." With a nod to the dumbfounded staff and his wide-eyed brother, he strolled from the office, already calling down to have his car brought around.

 

Mokuba, smile beaming, crossed to the desk and picked up the still steaming, full cup of his brother's special blend of coffee. Understanding and humor filled him. "Coffee with a friend huh? Go Seto!"

 

***

 

Katsuya was already waiting for him, smooshed behind a tiny table that looked barely big enough to hold a laptop much less plates of food. The blond grinned and waved, scooting over marginally to let Seto squeeze in next to him. "Vegan? I thought you were a cow eater."

 

"I am." He smirked at the blond. "But where else would I get to eat Kevin Bacon - with cream cheese?"

 

"Kevin Bacon huh? Never thought you would go for an actor like that." Golden eyes twinkled. "Who else you go for?"

 

"Jamie Bell is hot. Hunter Parrish too. Oh and Shia LaBeouf." He stopped and looked up as a server approached the table.

 

"Hey, Mister Kaiba. The regular for you? Kevin Bacon, Animal Cracker cupcake and keep the coffee coming?" The tattooed man rattled off even as Seto nodded. "And for your friend?"

 

"I'll have the same, except I'll have two cupcakes. Burned a lot of calories this weekend." Joey chuckled slightly. "You ride Seto? I didn't know that." He was referring to they cyclist theme of the place.

 

"I've been meaning to start, but I never find the right time. I bought my bike, bibs, anti-chafing cream, helmet, shoes, and I learned how to change a flat. I even planned my route, but something always comes up." The brunet admitted.

 

"Hmm. I bike most everywhere I go. I have a car and a moped for when I'm in a hurry, but with traffic it's faster to bike, besides it's healthier and cheaper." Joey gave him a small smile. "You drop Mokuba off at the school in the mornings don't you? I think I've seen you a couple times."

 

"Yes. You've seen me? I don't know if I've seen you." Seto gave him an uncertain look.

 

"Oh yeah, you probably don't recognize me in my helmet. I usually wear blue and gold. My helmet is blue with black stripes."

 

"Oh, that's you? I'll have to stop then. Yes I remember seeing you." The server returned with two steaming cups of the most delicious smelling coffee on the planet.

 

'Uh hmm. Why don't you bring your bike and come for a ride with me. I'm usually there to ride the circuit. I normally ride alone because most of my friends have work or class. I'd be glad to have someone around."

 

"I don't know." Seto frowned slightly at his coffee cup. "I'm out of shape and it's been years since I've ridden a bike. I don't want to slow you down."

 

"Kaiba, I know you. You'll see it as some kind of challenge and practically kill yourself to keep up." Joey said wryly. "You don't have to worry about that though. I bike to stay in shape but I'm not nuts about it. I like to enjoy just being outside. You won't slow me down." He grinned as their plates arrived. "Man, that looks awesome. I really did burn a lot of calories this weekend and Tea always insists on portion control. Last decent sized meal I had was curry at your place."

 

"Your date didn't feed you properly?" Seto could have kicked himself for that. It was a topic he'd sworn to himself that he would avoid.

 

Joey blinked at him. "Just told you, Tea insists on portion control. Even for the babysitter. Ugh, have you ever tried to tell kids they can only have a tiny bowl of popcorn? Less than half a cup? Rinny it wasn't so bad, but Ty had a fit. I don't blame him either."

 

"You had a babysitting date on Saturday?" The CEO clarified.

 

"Yeah, the regular sitter called out and Tea had a performance." The blond shrugged slightly. "Happens a couple times a month. No biggie." He picked up his sandwich and took a healthy bite, moaning slightly as the orgasmic flavors hit his tastebuds.

 

Seto watched him for a moment with narrowed eyes, then bent to his own meal. Neither spoke again until their sandwiches were memories and their cupcakes were crumbs. The silence wasn't awkward, but more of a mutual agreement that food was more important that words. They were both replete, visibly sagging in their seats, when the server cleared their table. "Anything else?"

 

"Nmnamn... Not for me." Joey sighed.

 

"I'll take two cupcakes to go." Seto grinned slightly. "Mokuba would shoot me if I didn't bring him back one." At Joeys droll look the grin widened, "And I want one for lunch today."

 

"Good plan. I'm going to have a dawg from a cart after class." He glanced up as the server brought the check. "I got it." The golden eyes turned to Seto firmly. "You rescued me. My treat."

 

Seto hadn't even reached for his wallet. "Always the plan. I take free meals as often as I can get them." He chuckled. "But next time we go dutch - unless I rescue you again. Then you pay."

 

"Deal." Joey agreed. "Hmm, hey Seto do you like hotdogs?"

 

"I've never had one." The 'moneybags' admitted with a shrug.

 

"Huh, why doesn't that surprise me?" Joey slid out of his chair and stretched, hoping to give his stuffed belly more room. "I've got to babysit on Thursday and I'm taking the kids to the boardwalk thursday afternoon for dawgs. Wanna come?" Before he could answer, Joey gave him a pathetic look. "Ty is a monster for rides but Rinny is too small. You could hold Rinny while I deal with Ty... or you deal with Ty and I hold Rinny?"

 

"Hmmm... Are you free Friday?"

 

"Friday? Yeah, as long as the sitter shows up. Why? You want to go to the boardwalk Friday?"

 

"No, I just wanted to make a deal. I'll help you babysit on Thursday if you'll help me on Friday." Seto stood and stretched as well.

 

Warily the blond eyed him. "Help you with what?"

 

The brunet grimaced slightly. "I got coerced by a large customer into a charity 'Around the World in Eighty Sips' wine tasting event. I find wine sour and unpalatable most of the time although I choke it down on social occasions."

 

Genuine surprise lit the golden eyes. "I always thought you would like that kind of stuff. Fancy rich boy."

 

"No." Seto's voice was unexpectedly curt. "I dislike the flavor, but more, I dislike the way abuses of it ruin people's lives." There was a real undercurrent of pain in the words.

 

"Ah... uhm..." Joey chewed his lip for an awkward moment, then nodded. "So it's obvious you have feelings about this. Wanna walk and talk about it? 'Cause I really don't know what to say and I don't want to be stupid or insensitive."

 

Seto heaved a small sigh. "Nothing to worry about. Just my dad - my birth dad - was killed by a drunk driver. He got fifteen years in prison for it. According to the report he had four glasses of wine at dinner."

 

"Oh, I didn't know. I'm sorry Seto." Joey reached out and gently brushed a crumb off the taller man's cheek. "I don't really like wine either, but I'll be happy to go with you. We can trash them together. I'll even teach you how to spit it out without anyone seeing."

 

"Thanks." Seto said dryly.

 

"Oh anytime. Thanks for the rescue." They left the tiny restaurant and hesitated, obviously not ready to say goodby.

 

"Anytime." A glance at his watch made Seto grin. "Your next class starts in twenty-five minutes. You better hurry."

 

With a muffled curse and a quick wave, Joey hopped on his bike and buckled on his helmet. He was gone in a flash. He was almost to the school when a sudden thought struck him and he lifted his head slightly, a tiny smile curved his lips. "Oh Seto, what game are you playing now?" It didn't really matter, he loved to play games with Seto.

 

Across town Seto paused in the act of setting a cupcake in front of his brother and rubbed the tip of his nose with his free hand. If he believed in the superstition, then someone must be thinking about him. Mokuba gave him a grin. "Thanks big brother. I hope you enjoyed your coffee. How's Joey?"

 

Blue eyes smug, Seto taunted his little brother. "Kevin Bacon."

 

The black-haired nineteen year old gave him a pouting glower. "I will get even." The expression cleared and an impish smile flashed. "I'm going to see Joey in lab in a couple hours. You want me to give him a message."

 

Seto turned away, but not before Mokuba saw the smug curve of his brother's lips. "No need. I will text him if I want to talk to him, or I'll wait until Thursday when we bring the kids to the Coney Island boardwalk. He swears I'll love the 'dawgs.'"

 

Mokuba stifled his snickers as his brother, who normally stalked or strode with determination, literally swayed out the door. Who knew his brother could move like that? If Seto wasn't his brother - Mokuba caught himself with a mental slap. Seto was his brother and no matter how much those rolling hips begged for it, Mokuba would never consider such a thing. Still... he had to wonder if Joey had ever seen Seto move that way.

 

Seto was contemplating a lonely dinner at home when his phone chirped. He wasn't surprised to find a message from Joey. "Bored?"

 

He rolled his eyes. "Eating dinner."

 

The expected chirp came immediately. "What ya having? Anzu made gluten free veggie pasta with soy cheese and carrots."

 

Seto looked down at his untouched meal of rice and fish. Feeling the urge to to tease, he sent back, "Tonkatsu, Lobster claw nabe, onigiri and yakitori."

 

There was a long pause, long enough for Seto to think that he had gone to far, so he sent a quick - "?"

 

Joey's reply was fast - "Be there in twenty minutes. You better save me some."

 

"Well damn. Lesson learned, never tease Joey about food." With a sigh he picked up his plates and carried them back to the kitchen. The chef was tidying up. "I've changed my mind. I'm having a guest over. Can you have tonkatsu, lobster claw nabe, onigiri, and yakitori ready in twenty minutes? Send out to YaYa for the onigiri, Odiriko for the Nabe. I presume you can make the Tonkatsu and yakitori?"

 

"Mister Kaiba!" The chef looked highly insulted. "I have everything I need for all of it. If I can have half an hour you will not need to order take out."

 

Seto thought about what he knew of Joey, past and present, and nodded. "Half an hour, but my guest is a big eater so if you could pull something together for a snack? If you don't he may make a snack out of me."

 

"I made rainbow dragon sushi rolls for the young Mister Kaiba and he changed his mind. They are still fresh and flavorful. Will that suffice?" The man asked stiffly.

 

"Perfect. I'll come in and get them when my guest arrives so you don't have to come out of the kitchen. If you need help have one of the maids or guards help you." With a nod Seto turned away, completely ignoring the other man's confused gaze.

 

"Take your time. Dinner isn't for half an hour. I was sitting down to the appetizer. I hope you like rainbow dragon sushi."

 

"Great! I have time to grab the papers I need to grade."

 

"Do you want sake or will soft drink work?"

 

"Water."

 

"Okay. No speeding and don't drool."

 

"Jerk."

 

"Jerk with food."

 

"Jerk off ."

 

"Only if you watch." Seto could almost see the red flushing Joey's cheeks. He was honestly surprised when after just a moment Joey's response made his own cheeks heat.

 

"Hah! Bare it! Put your cock where your talk is. Until then let me ride in peace."

 

He didn't dignify that with the kind of answer it deserved. Really what could he say? "Don't speed and no drooling."

 

"Jerk."

 

"Jerk with food."

 

"..."

 

Seto left it at that and went to change from his suit. He wanted to be comfortable for what he was sure was going to be a fun evening. Idly he wondered if he should mention 'baring' it but decided against it. Enough was enough. If Joey wanted to pursue it he would. He decided to take a quick shower. Showers refreshed him and helped clear his mind. He had no thought, none whatsoever, that he wanted to be fresh and clean, just in case Joey decided to pursue the topic.

 

Still mildly damp from his refreshing shower, Seto perused the contents of his closet with a small frown. Everything looked too starchy and formal for just hanging with a friend. He really needed to get some clothes he could hang out in without making his friend uncomfortable. On impulse he hurried down to Mokuba's room. They were roughly the same build and Mokuba was only an inch or so shorter, plus he had a wardrobe that encompassed the full spectrum of social environs. Surely he had something 'comfortable and casual' Seto could borrow.

 

He bypassed the 'skinny pants' - he was going to have to talk to mokuba about wearing long underwear in public - and the shorts. Who needed what had to be thirty pair of shorts? Another conversation to have. And he settled on a pair of black banded, full length sports pants that he found had a comfortable loose fit that he quite enjoyed. Not only did they look and feel good, but it concealed his commando state quite well. Without hesitation he snagged a black, v-necked t-shirt from a huge stack - again who needed thirty t-shirts? - Eschewing shoes he went downstairs, finger combing his damp hair into a mildly tamed mass of waves along the way.

 

He had just let the chef know to have the meal served in the small study when security chimed up that Joey Wheeler had just passed through the gates. Seto pondered for a moment then decided to answer the door himself, after all friends don't have servants greet friends.

 

The host was mildly surprised to see his guest wearing what had to be the standard uniform for academics and quasi-professionals around the world. He couldn't stop his small snicker at the sight of Katsuya dressed in neatly pressed khakis, buttoned down pale blue shirt, a nondescript tan blazer, and loafers. The only thing that slightly hinted at the personality of the blond was a uniquely patterned blue and gold tie. "Are those pacman on your tie?" He sniggered.

 

"Yeah. So I like retro games." Joey grumbled and then shoved a large briefcase into his hands. "Make yourself useful if you're going to pick on my tie."

 

Seto took the unexpectedly heavy case. "Oof, what do you have in here? Bricks? And for the record I like retro games too. I'm just surprised you can get away with a tie like that working as an instructor." He shut the door and turned to lead him into the small study.

 

"No real dress code for adjunct except slacks and shirt. Tie is optional. I'm on call tonight for Presbyterian and the tie is fun and most kids recognize it is a game even if they don't know the exact game. Helps their comfort zone." Joey followed, his own eyes widening slightly at the clothes Seto was wearing. "You sure as hell ain't going to work in that."

 

"I'm the boss. I can wear anything I please." The CEO lifted his nose haughtily even as he tossed the outrageously heavy briefcase on a small settee. "Really what is in that thing?"

 

"Couple books, some toys, and the papers I have to grade. Lab and class, plus a test. I'm falling behind." The instructor frowned and sighed. "I love Ty and Rinny but watching them four nights in a row until two in the morning is getting to me. Rinny is teething so she's not sleeping and wants constant attention. Ty gets worried when she fusses so he gets up and won't go back down until she does."

 

"What time does Anz... Tea get in?" It struck Seto that she should be caring for her children more, but he didn't say so.

 

"She's normally in by eleven but this last week it's closer to three. She says it's business meetings but I don't know. Not that I mind if she is getting involved with someone, I just wish she would find another sitter soon."

 

"Hmm..." Seto glanced up as a maid brought in a cart with their appetizers and sparkling water. "Thank you." He had meant to get the food himself, more for the casual feel of serving Joey than to help his staff, but since Joey was already pulling out stacks of folders from his briefcase Seto figured it was just as well. Although it was kind of curious. "I thought written paper was dead. Why don't you have your students turn in their work via email or flash or something lightweight?" He placed the plate on the small table where Katsuya was sorting folders.

 

Joey carefully laid the folders aside and picked up his chopsticks. After downing a bite, he explained. "Discovered something when I first came over." The blond frowned slightly at the memory. "Most American kids don't write. Some can, some can't, but they don't. It's easier to use a computer. You know that though right? I mean you're a major employer. You have to know that half the people churned out of colleges today can't write? That even though they have a degree they are functionally illiterate? Writing, grammar, punctuation, even basic spelling are beyond some of them." He scooped up another bite and shoved it into his mouth, chewing quickly.

 

"Yes." Seto frowned. "Is that why you have them hand write papers? To see if they are literate?" He settled on the floor, his back against the settee, his plate balanced on his bent knees.

 

"Yeah, but there's more. If they have a problem I usually can arrange for tutoring or some kind of remediation - if they want it." Joey pulled a blue and green striped folder from the pile. "Look at the name. I don't let them use nicknames or shortened. Mokuba writes 'Mokuba' in English. Christopher writes 'Christopher.' Read the name." Another bite disappeared.

 

"Tomas Jackson." He pronounced it with the accent on the second syllable and a long 'o' sound. He dipped a bit of fish into the wasabi sauce and hummed his approval as the spicy goodness hit his palate. This was a good idea. Much better than plain rice and fish.

 

"His name is Thomas, with a Th according to his school transcripts." Golden eyes spat fury. "This kid went through school and is in college, has no mental or physical challenges, and he can't even spell his own name. He goes by 'Tom.'" The fourth bite was dunked and chewed rapidly, keeping pace with the outrage vibrating from the blond.

 

"You're not going to change a whole school system." Seto pointed out softly.

 

"I know that." Abruptly the fury faded. "I just do what I can. I left a message for Thomas to call me. He hasn't yet. He probably knows what it's about. Like I said he's not dumb, and his paper is at best first grade work - American first grade work."

 

"You think you can get him remediated?" Seto wasn't sure it was possible, but he was curious about Joey's optimism.

 

"He's not stupid and he has the basics, but he tends to be lazy in class, doesn't really participate. I am going to speak to him but I'm not sure it will do any good. He's too late to drop, and if he doesn't improve he will fail my classes." The blond shrugged and took the last bite of his sushi. "Man this is good. I'm surprised you are still so skinny if you eat like this all the time."

 

"Normally I have plain rice and fish. Mokuba ordered this and changed his mind. He went out with his friends tonight to test some engineering principles." He looked at the stack of folders. "Want some help? I'm literate and can look for spelling and grammar errors."

 

"If you don't have anything else to do sure. But you can't do the green and red one. It's Mokuba’s." Joey cautioned.

 

"You think I'd cheat for my brother?" He lifted an incredulous brow.

 

"I know you'd die for him. I don't think you'd cheat in this case. I think you will be harder on him." A slow grin crossed his mobile features. "Encouragement, no crushing Seto."

 

"I've been motivating people for years. You don't have to tell me." The brunet huffed, then grinned. "I can't threaten to fire them?" He teased in a mock downcast voice.

 

"Nope." Joey looked up as another tray was wheeled in. "God it smells great. Smells like home."

 

"You miss Domino?" Seto waved his hand. "Serve yourself."

 

Joey didn't answer until his plate was full and he was comfortably seated in front of his work. "Sometimes, but I miss my friends more. Anzu is great, but I miss Honda and Yugi. I even miss that asshole Otogi. They stop by once a year but usually only for a day. If I could I would go back twice a year. Maybe when I'm out of school and working full time I'll go back for vacation, a week at a time, twice a year wouldn't be bad."

 

"What about your family? Didn't you have a mom, dad and sister?" Seto filled his own dish and settled back into his spot.

 

"Nyeh, my mom doesn't want anything to do with me and never has. My old man took off a few weeks before graduation and never came back, so I don't know where he is and don't really care. His note told me not to look for him. My sister, Shizuka... I more miss the idea of her than her. I only ever saw her a few times before my mom cut off all contact. She's Mokuba's age so she's an adult now but she's never contacted me since the last time I dueled in Japan. The two letters I sent were marked 'wrong address.' I've made sure she could reach me through Yugi but there isn't anything else I can do."

 

"Hmh." Seto grunted through his bite of pork cutlet. There was plenty more that could be done, but it was all up to Katsuya. To his surprise his friend let the subject drop and picked up a folder. It was obviously a well practiced habit because Katsuya ate quickly and neatly, not even a grain of rice falling on the paper he was reading. Occasionally he would lay aside his chopsticks and pick up a blue pen and make a note on the page before continuing with his meal.

 

Seto watched for a moment, then bent to his task. Dinner passed, the maid returning to clean up the empty dishes. Neither looked up from the folders they were studying. The CEO was appalled by what he found. Granted these were first year college students, without advanced english classes, but they should at least have a rudimentary idea of comma placement and capitalization. It was an absolute shame. Seto would speak to his Human Resources department tomorrow about implementing a basic literacy component to the application and hiring process, and offer 'voluntary' remedial to current employees. Kaiba Corporation would not have illiterate people working for it.

 

Seto was so into what he was doing that he actually jumped slightly when his blond companion tossed down a folder and practically jumped to his feet.

 

"Problem?" Seto asked softly.

 

"Ah, my shoulders are tight. Just tension." Joey turned and gave him a thoughtful look. "Come here a minute." The golden eyes smiled slightly at his hesitation. "I won't bite, I promise. I just want you to use them bony fingers of yours to walk up my spine; try to get the muscles to release."

 

"Huh! You want a massage? Don't you think you're pushing the bounds of friendship just a little?" But Seto was already climbing to his feet.

 

"I didn't ask you to massage behind my zipper, did I? Just my shoulders thanks." He shrugged and winced as his shoulders twanged in protest. "If you do me, I'll do you."

 

Instead of crossing to the blond, Seto went to a straight backed chair and sat down, spreading his legs. "Sit here." He gestured to the floor between his legs. "And don't whine at me about it. I need more leverage than standing with you gives."

 

Joey grinned and nodded. "Not a problem." He turned his back to Seto and sank cross legged to the floor. He was surprised by the skill of the fingers that probed his back and shoulders. "Ah, you know how to do this."

 

"Mmhmm. Mokuba used to wake with nightmares. His back would be knotted from fear and fighting violently in his dreams. I used to rub his back and shoulders to calm him enough to sleep."

 

"You really are Mokuba's parents aren't you. Part mom, part dad." Joey mused. "I did know it though. All along, I mean. I think I was even hoping you'd do that for me. My parents kinda sucked. You're an awesome parent."

 

The probing, kneading fingers hesitated for a moment. "I wondered if your training and education helped you to recognize that aspect of our... past relationship. It took me some time, but once I recognized it I... I realized it wasn't what I wanted. I never wanted to be anyone's parent, Katsuya. I love Mokuba but if I had been given a choice he would only be my brother." The hands began working at the tightness again.

 

"Yeah it took me a couple years, but I was studying the rebellion teens go through and realized a lot of our arguing and stuff was me rebelling against a parent. My parents didn't care enough about me to notice a rebellion but you... You really cared didn't you? Cared enough to kick me out of the nest too."

 

"So you figured that out too. It wasn't entirely unselfish Katsuya. You were very demanding at a time when I had very little to give and to be honest, your loudness got on my nerves." Gentle hands threaded through Joey's golden hair. "After you were gone it was your loudness I missed most. I never told you, but your laugh is like... like when the sun comes out after a storm."

 

Katsuya had absolutely no defense against such a beautiful sentiment. With a rough gasp he turned and knelt between Seto's legs, reaching up to catch one his hand as it slid away. Cradling it to his cheek, he rested his free hand on the curve of Seto's long neck, stroking lightly. "Seto I..."

 

Blue eyes smiled warmly. "I'm glad you're finally my friend Katsuya."

 

Joey held that warm gaze with his own, torn between flinging himself into Seto's arms and hugging the stuffing out of him or dragging him to the carpet and loving the stuffing into him. Seto's eyes told him that he would accept either.

 

Before the blond could decide the study door flew open and slammed into the wall. "Big brother an idiot servant parked a moped in my parking - Oh! Uh...Sorry..."

 

Before the teen could beat a hasty retreat, Joey was across the room grabbing his shirt. "My moped?"

 

"Ah uh... I thought you had a car?" Mokuba sent his exceptionally pissed looking brother a pleading glance only to blink and shake his head slightly. Where had Seto gotten those clothes?

 

"Moped when I have to work at the hospital. Faster than a car or bike, but won't get stuck in traffic. Car is only for bad weather. Did you hit my moped?" Joey was gazing at him with a mix of trepidation and disbelief as his hands tightened their grip.

 

"Ah... yes?" Mokuba squeaked as his collar suddenly became a strangling noose. "Seto!" He rasped. "Little help?"

 

Seto smirked at his brother. "No. I've told you several times to watch out when you park. Just a few months ago, you totalled the postal delivery van." The smirk got deeper. "A little strangulation is good for you."

 

Mokuba squawked something unintelligible and Joey released his student. "Damn it. Now I'm going to have to take a bus home. I just hope Presbyterian doesn't call while I'm getting there." As if to mock his hopes, his cell vibrated and played a distinctive ringtone - the Beatles 'Help.' "Aw crap."

 

"Don't worry Katsuya." Seto said softly. "Mokuba will be transporting you wherever you need to go until your moped is fixed or replaced." The blond simply nodded as he answered the phone.

 

When his younger brother would have protested Seto said implacably "You will take personal responsibility for this Mokuba. If you even breathe a complaint or protest I will take away all driving and vehicle privileges until I feel you have learned to be careful during all phases of your driving."

 

Mokuba bit back his snarky remark about Seto taking his sexual frustration out on him, but made a mental note to discuss hanging something on the door. Of course it could work in his favor too because if Joey and Seto started seeing each other regularly Mokuba was sure his brother would be a lot more mellow about some things.

 

Seto watched his brother for a moment, then shook his head. "I can hear you think and it's not like that. We are friends Mokuba. Don't confuse reality with your fantasies."

 

Before Mokuba could reply that 'friends' didn't look at each other the way Seto and Joey had been when he interrupted, Joey closed his phone and said briskly, "Let's go Mo. There was a two vehicle accident. Mother, father and four kids, ages range from a few months to eight in one car. Single drunk driver in the other. Drunk driver and parents are in critical. Kids are in unhurt - physically." Katsuya was quickly packing up his briefcase and bag. Seto automatically tidied his stacks and handed them to the blond. "Ah thanks. Mokuba let's go, the longer they are alone the more scared they get.” He hesitated for a moment, offering Seto a distracted grimace that was supposed to be a smile. "See ya later."

 

Seto didn't wait up. He had work the next day and he wanted to be well rested. When he got to the breakfast table he was surprised to see Mokuba there before him. When his younger brother looked up, Seto was appalled by the ravaged look and bleak darkness in the normally bright eyes. "What's happened?"

 

"Seto, Joey is incredible. I never really understood what he did, not really. He helps kids who are in crisis. I thought it was easy, no big deal, give them a lolly, pat their heads, and hand them off to social services. He... He doesn't do that Seto. He's there - really there. He held the tiny baby, rocking her. He let the two year old crawl on his lap and the six year old squeeze in there too. It was incredible the way he got them. From the first second he saw the kids they were his. I can't explain it Seto, except to say, they were his. They knew it too. The oldest one, a little girl almost nine. She was trying so hard to be brave, to be the parent. Joey didn't treat her like a kid, he treated her like a person who was important. When the younger ones drifted off to sleep, he laid them down together on the hospital bed, making sure they wouldn't fall, then turned to the little girl who had asked all the questions, who had held it together, so strong and brave, and he just... opened his arms to her. She flew to him like she was a homing pigeon. It was incredible Seto. He let her cry, he let her rage, and when she fell asleep, still crying, he continued to rock her." Mokuba wiped his eyes with the back of his hands, not surprised to find them wet with tears.

 

"God it was wonderful and so fucking terrible. Seto... I doubted he was worth your love - don't deny you love him damn it! - I see a lot you don't think I do. But I'm telling you now, he's worth every part of your heart you could ever give him and more." He drew a shuddering breath. "When the kids were out, I stayed with them while Joey went to check on the drunk driver. He didn't have any I.D. and some of the nurses said he was talking in japanese. One of the nurses knew enough to recognize the language but not enough to translate. Joey went to see if he could help. I offered to go but Joey said that since I wasn't an employee or relative I couldn't be in the ICU."

 

"He has always had a large heart Mokuba." Seto said quietly. "Any news on the parents? Anything?"

 

"Another person took over their care, but they were still asleep. The mother is in a drug induced coma because of head injury, but the father was upgraded from critical to serious condition. His internal bleeding has stopped. There was no word about the drunk driver."

 

"Did you bring Joey home? He must have been exhausted." Seto observed quietly.

 

"Nah, he said he couldn't leave yet. He's got some paperwork to deal with. He called an old friend, Doctor Shanahan to help him." The black-haired teen sighed. "Seto, if you don't snap Joey up and love him forever, I'm going to. That kind of heart is rarer than diamonds and about a thousand times more valuable."

 

"I know Mokuba." For the first time Seto allowed his brother to glimpse his true emotions. "I've been working on it since you told me he was your instructor." He went to the sideboard and filled a plate with the breakfast laid out on the warming dishes there. "I ended my arrangement with my hired sexual partner and never requested my lawyer replace him. I was gathering information on 'Joey Wheeler' and deciding how to approach him when you came home and dropped the bomb that he was gay. I realized that I couldn't wait for the report if I was going to have a chance with him. I took a risk and used our talk about baggage to approach him." He sat down and started pushing the food around on his plate.

 

"So you didn't really want to be his friend? It was all ruse" That shocked the younger Kaiba. It shouldn't have because he knew his brother was devious, but it did.

 

"Of course I want to be his friend. The best couples are friends. But I also want more. It's complicated, but it had to be right this time Mokuba, for both of us. For it to be right for me, he had to figure some things out - and I had to let go of some preconceived issues I had." A smile touched Seto's lips. "We were getting to the heart of them when you came in last night."

 

"Oh. Sorry. So are you guys a couple now?" Straight to the point.

 

"Not yet, but soon. We have to deal with a couple more issues, but they are small compared to what we dealt with last night. Thursday, we're taking Tea's children to the boardwalk. We'll talk then." A wicked smile spread across Seto's face. "You might want to move to the guest wing that night. I expect to get loud. Katsuya was never quiet during sex."

 

"Thanks for the heads up. Do me a favor, figure out some way to let me know when you guys are busy in a room okay? That is not an image I want burned in my brain." Mokuba half teased.

 

"I'll think of something. Maybe have the security light outside the room flash or something." Seto mumbled thoughtfully. He gave up on the mess on the on his plate. "I'm going to work. No sense texting Joey this early, he's either still busy or trying to sleep before classes."

 

"I'm going to sleep for a few hours and then head to school." Mokuba's red tinged eyes closed. "I'm happy for you Seto, really happy for you."

 

"Me too. Sleep well little brother - set your alarm." With that admonishment Seto went to work.

 

Work kept him as busy as usual, but today it seemed to drag. There were no cheerful chirps of his cell phone, no random, weird texts, no yelps for 'rescue.' His phone stayed silent as the grave all day. By the time he went home, he had personally torn it apart and reassembled it to make sure it was functioning. At dinner he decide to take a risk and text Joey himself. "Missing a folder? Found one under the settee in my study."

 

Half an hour of pacing and constant checks of his phone, a message finally came through. "Please give it to Mo to return tomorrow."

 

"Are you alright? You have been quiet today. Should I bring you some coffee and cupcakes?"

 

The response was almost immediate, but in no way reassuring. "No thank you. I am busy with a personal issue."

 

Personal issue? That was as unexpected as it was concerning. Had something else happened? "We're friends and friends help each other. Do you need me?"

 

A chill went through him at the next response. "No thank you. Good night." Try as he might that 'good night' had the ring of 'goodbye.' He told himself several times he was being ridiculous, that Joey would never blow him off like that, that Joey truly cared for him, but his reassurances rang hollow.

 

When Mokuba joined him for dinner he practically pounced on his brother. "How was Joey today?"

 

"I don't know." His brother pulled a disgusted face at the stir fried veggies on his plate. "There was a substitute today. That Doctor Shanahan I told you about. He said there was a family emergency and that Joey probably wouldn't be in the rest of the week."

 

"Oh." Seto frowned. "I'll call him tomorrow morning and see what's going on." He saw Mokuba's plate and sighed. "Eat your veggies and I'll take you out for some ice cream."

 

"I'm not ten Seto." But an unwilling smile tugged the younger Kaiba's lips.

 

"I know that very well. I just feel like an ice cream and bribing you to eat your veggies is a good excuse." Seto admitted with a chuckle that he hoped hid the concern he was feeling for his friend.

 

Thursday morning, Seto kept a close watch for the gold and blue cyclist that he normally saw when dropping Mokuba off. To his disappointment, Joey was nowhere around. Determined to speak to Joey he dialed the number. He was disappointed when it went immediately to voicemail. Either the phone was off or Joey was talking on it. He left a brief message for the blond to call him and hung up. If Joey didn't call in an hour he'd call again... if he didn't call by the afternoon he'd stop by the school to catch him after class. They had plans for the boardwalk - at least that was the worried brunet's excuse.

 

He called four times, each time leaving a shorter and shorter message, ending with a single word, 'Call!' Disgusted with himself he ordered his limo brought around and rode to the college. He wasn't doing it to be ostentatious or flex his muscle. He was simply too agitated to deal with New York City traffic. Besides transporting Ty and Rinny would be easier in the limo.

 

Mokuba saw the limo and walked over, confused. His ride was waiting for him. "Seto, what's up?"

 

"Here to pick up Joey for our date." The brunet explained.

 

"Uh... he didn't call you? His classes were cancelled today. He had a funeral this morning. Uhm... you might find him at his place by now though." Mokuba flinched when he saw the pain that flashed in his brother's bright blue eyes. "Seto, he may be too busy to call you. A family emergency and funeral are..."

 

"We're supposedly friends Mokuba. He should have called me because he needed a friend." Seto ground out as he went back to the limo. After a moment, Mokuba went to his own waiting ride. Seto and Jou would have to work it out on their own.

 

After a moment of heavy breathing, Seto ordered the limo to take him to Tea's house and wait for him. He knocked on the door briskly as his limo went to find a parking spot. To his disbelief the man from the baseball game, the one who had issued that ridiculous threat, 'Sean', opened the door. "Kaiba." The man nodded. "Joey isn't really up to company right now."

 

"I'll let him tell me that." Seto said pleasantly and shoved his way into the narrow hall.

 

Joey's ex just shrugged and stepped back. "Have it your way." He waved towards Joey's bedroom. "He's laying down."

 

The blue-eyed CEO stifled a growl at the thought of the other man in Joey's bedroom and stalked to the door. After only a cursory knock he opened the door and stepped in, ready to rip the blond's head off and hand it to him. His anger died in a heartbeat. Katsuya was curled up on his bed - his still made single bed - like a child seeking comfort and shelter. "Oh Katsuya." He whispered sadly.

 

The blond didn't stir at the sound of his voice and Seto crossed to look down at him, taking in the rumpled dark suit and tie. He even was wearing his shoes. He didn't know what had happened to Katsuya, but whatever it was, it had to be bad. Even in his sleep, the blond's normal brightness was dim and ravaged. Carefully Seto bent and removed the shoes, placing them neatly beside the bed. Joey didn't move a muscle.

 

Seto left more quietly than he came, shutting the bedroom door behind him. Sean was waiting for him at the kitchen table. "What happened?" Seto asked.

 

"He said he was with you when he got the call Tuesday night." When Seto nodded, Sean gestured to one of the chairs and waited for him to sit. "When he went to translate for the drunk driver, he recognized the man. It was his father."

 

"His father? Are you sure? The odds are..." Seto didn't finish. Sean's grim look was enough to stop the automatic protest. 

 

"Of course I'm sure - he's sure. His father was conscious but drunk off his ass. His blood alcohol level was two point nine. That was a mercy the man didn't deserve because his injuries were extensive. He was in and out of consciousness but recognized Joey. The bastard blamed him, to his dying breath, he blamed Joey for everything. Joey was healing, had finally stopped looking for approval from a father figure, had finally stopped accepting blame, and now this." Sean lowered his head and stared at the table. "He died yesterday afternoon. Since Joey was his next of kin, he arranged a cremation and a quiet prayer service today. It seems fast, it is fast, but Joey's father had a recorded religious preference for immediate cremation. He had a living will that said - and I quote - Burn my ass before I start to stink. - end quote. There was no question of cause of death and there is no waiting time limit for cremation."

 

"Practical." Seto observed.

 

"Heartless too. Typical of his life. He didn't allow time for anyone to grieve or to say goodbye." The psychologist sighed. "Joey is in shock."

 

"I'm not surprised, but he will be alright. He's bounced back from worse." Seto knew that his blond would be fine given time.

 

"You would know, having dished a lot of it out." Cold eyes assessed him dispassionately. "Do you know why he didn't call you back? Call you instead of me?"

 

"His phone is in your pocket, so I assume he doesn't know I called." It was the first thing he'd noticed. Joeys new smartphone, a distinctive bright blue, tucked in Sean's breast pocket.

 

"That's part of it. Another part, why he let me take the phone to begin with, is because he didn't want to rely on you. You tossed him out of your life before because of his dependence on you. He didn't want to risk that again." A humourless smiled curved Sean's mouth. "I agreed with his decision."

 

"It was the wrong choice. I'll make sure he knows I'm here for him, however he needs me." Seto said evenly.

 

"Was it? Well, only you and he know, I suppose." Broad shoulders shrugged slightly. "Tea and the kids went out for dinner. They will be back soon, then Tea has to perform. Joey is supposed to watch them, but I don't think he's quite up to it. I was going to stay, but if you are going to stay I think it's best I go."

 

"I'll stay. Tea knows about his father. Why hasn't she gotten another sitter?" That seemed selfish of the woman, not at all in keeping with the person he'd known in the past.

 

"She feels, and I agree, that Joey with the kids right now is the best thing. When you see them together you will understand." The other man hesitated briefly to lay Joeys phone down and then rose, pushing away from the table. "Kaiba, ask Joey about Dylan Gardener. Not tonight, but when the time is right. If you want to be with him after that, I won't stop him from being with you."

 

"Like you could." Icy disdain coated Seto's words.

 

The other man's expression became deadly serious. "Make no mistake Seto Kaiba, if I told Joey I thought you would destroy him again he would leave you in a heartbeat. He couldn't survive it, and he knows that. He's not suicidal right now and he has responsibilities here you know nothing about. Responsibilities that he would never leave voluntarily, even for you. Tell Joey to call me if he needs me. Dorian and I have a date tonight." Without another word or glance at the stunned, furious brunet, Sean turned and left him to contemplate the truth he'd just laid out.

 

Seto didn't believe for one second that Katsuya would ever be suicidal over what his father said or anything Seto himself may or may not do. The blond was much too strong. However the mention of other responsibilities caught his interest. The report on Katsuya's life since he'd left Domino was as complete as his investigators could make it short of personal interviews, but nowhere was there a mention of 'responsibilities.' 

 

He had several friends, many more acquaintances, but only a few close ties. He had maintained some ties in Japan, Yugi and Honda mainly, and of course Tea Gardener. Sean Shanahan was another listed, although not as a close friend, but as a friend and ex-lover.

 

Dylan Gardener had been listed as a footnote, a friend by marriage, deceased. It was unlikely that there had been any other kind of relationship between Joey and Tea's husband. But, it was curious that Sean mentioned the dead man, hinting at something between them. Maybe Tea's husband had been a close friend, maybe Joey had promised to always care for Tea and the kids. Seto didn't know, and now wasn't the time to find out. He'd ask -no - he would wait for Joey to tell him.

 

Decision made, he couldn't help prowling around the quiet house looking for clues about the late Mister Gardener. To his relief and curiosity they were on almost every wall. Starting in the hall with a younger, happy looking set of pictures. Dylan Gardener had tobacco brown hair and stormy grey eyes. His features were eurasian, with the delicacy of feature and strong bone structure common in haafu. It was a look he was familiar with because he saw it every day in the mirror. The pictures were of Tea and Dylan, with about every third picture including Joey.

 

Following the timeline of the images he traced Tea and her husband's courtship, saw their wedding pictures, a few from their honeymoon and a few more that showed them a vibrant, healthy, happy couple. Then abruptly the pictures changed, the man was no longer standing next to his bride, instead he sat in a wheelchair, a heavy metal brace supporting his back and chest, braces on his legs and lines of pain etched on his face. One side of the chair was Tea, looking worn but happy, and on the other side of the chair was a painfully thin, haggard looking Joey.

 

Two more photos, obviously of the recovery from whatever injury or illness that had afflicted the other man. The final picture along that wall was of Dylan Gardener standing with the aid of a cane, his arm wrapped protectively around a very pregnant Tea.

 

Along another wall was a few snapshots of the pregnant Tea, and then the ecstatic parents holding a tiny bundle. Ty, Seto realized as he moved on. More images, this time Joey was much scarcer, only appearing in one or two of the dozens of shots. The baby and his doting parents were center stage in all of them.

 

He saw the little boy's every milestone, crawling, rolling over, eating, birthday cake, everything, displayed on the wall. He couldn't help but chuckle at the little fireball that he saw taking shape in every picture. It was obvious that Ty was energetic and more than a little mischievous, even from his earliest days. The wall ended and Seto turned the corner and found that these pictures truly were a timeline because the story continued. Ty, maybe sixteen months old, standing in front of his father, who was kneeling by Tea, their hands resting on the small, but obvious baby bump of Tea's belly. The first picture of Rinny.

 

Joey was even less obvious in the pictures that followed - at least at first. Then, abruptly, Dylan Gardener was gone and months vanished without a new picture. Then the photos resumed, but Joey took his place in the pictures, playing with Tyler, standing next to the very pregnant Tea. Even though the people in the pictures smiled, Seto could see, almost feel, their palpable grief.

 

The pictures were less frequent than the ones with Ty, but somehow more poignant because the happiness was touched with an air of loss. The baby milestones were recorded faithfully, but instead of Dylan, Joey was front and center in the pictures. It was obvious he adored the baby - babies. The pictures with Joey and Tea in them showed close friendship, but not the intimacy and happiness that had lit Tea in her earlier pictures with Dylan. It was obvious that she and Joey were exactly what they claimed, very good friends.

 

He stared at the final picture, obviously only a few weeks old. Joey, with Ty on his shoulders and Rinny on his hip, stood in front of the Shubert, a playbill of 'Matilda' waving and smiling happily.

 

"They're gorgeous aren't they?" Joey's scratchy voice spoke from directly behind him.

 

"You have beautiful children Katsuya." Seto agreed as he turned to face the blond.

 

"They are beautiful, Seto, but they are not mine." Katsuya stated flatly, but the tension in his body was obvious.

 

"Of course, but it's obvious you love them like your own." Seto agreed.

 

"Ty and Rinny belong to Tea and Dylan in every way. My feelings will never change that." Hard eyes dared Seto to contradict him.

 

"Not arguing." The observant brunet nodded slightly. "They went to get food. Sean said to tell you he was going on a date with Dorian. Call if you need him."

 

"Thanks." He frowned. "My phone?"

 

"He left it on the table." Seto followed him back into the dining area. "Katsuya I'm sorry for your loss."

 

"Thanks." The answer was obviously automatic, but the sigh that followed was heartfelt. "He abandoned me, abused me, basically blamed me for the shithole his life was, but he was still my dad."

 

"Yes. Do you believe him? That you are to blame for his failures?" It was a very good question. Seto hoped that Joey could see past the emotions clouding him and see the truth, but it might be too soon, so he didn't hold out a lot of hope for it.

 

"No. Not the way he meant it. I wasn't even born when he started drinking. He was abusive to his family before he ever met my mom. That's why he was in Japan to begin with. He was running from an assault charge on his grandmother. He beat her up for her social security money." The blond shoved his fists into his pockets. "He was lost before I was born. He never wanted to be found." Bleak eyes lifted to meet calm blue. "But I can't help being sorry for what was lost, what could have been. I remember when he wasn't drinking, he was a good dad. That person died a long time ago. The creature in the hospital that spewed hate at me like that, it was just the animal that was left. It was in pain and lashing out like any wounded beast. It needed to be set free from the pain."

 

Seto's breath caught at the implication. "Katsuya did you-" He broke off as he realized he really didn't want to know the answer. He redirected his question. "Did you want to eat? I can order in." he reached in his pocket for his phone. "Anything you want."

 

"Tea will bring a couple meals back for me and Sean. Since Sean left it's his loss. You can have first pick." The blond offered with a wan smile.

 

"Hmmm since we're going to be babysitting I guess feeding me is the least you can do." He pocketed his phone. For the first time since turning to find Katsuya behind him, he allowed his concern and caring to show openly. "Katsuya... Are you alright? What can I do to help you?"

 

The blond's shoulders squared and his chin came up. "I'm okay. I mean he was dead to me already. I just need a little time to wrap my head around it is all. You don't need to mother me Seto."

"I wasn't offering to." The brunet head lowered slightly. "Supporting a friend isn't acting like their parent. You should know that, being part of the friendship squad. I'll cut you some slack though because you look so tired and sad. But since you don't need any support, can I ask a favor?"

 

"Favor?" Golden eyes looked at him warily. "What kind of favor?"

 

"My best friend blew off our date to Coney Island and hasn't returned my calls or texts for days. I'm feeling abandoned and need a hug." Seto gave him what was supposed to be a guileless, chibi-look. It had been terrifying when he was a teen, and it was much worse as a twenty-something Shark-CEO.

 

"Ah hell! Don't look like that. Don't you know that it kills all birds in a five block radius?" Joey teased, looking much better than he had just a minute before. 

 

Seto caught the reference immediately. A reporter, tongue in cheek, had speculated that puppies died when Seto Kaiba smiled and birds fell from the sky when he tried to look cute. It was an old reference from their Domino days. Trust Katsuya to remember it. The pout deepened, and Joey moaned. "Damn, the pigeons are falling out of the sky. Stop it. Fine, fine, hugs. But let's sit down. My feet are still killing me." he grabbed Seto's arm and towed him into the family room, plunking them both down and yanking the brunet against his chest in a tight hug. "Best friend huh?"

 

"Yes. You think I share Kevin Bacon with anyone but my best friend? I don't even share with my brother." Seto mumbled into the curve of Katsuya's neck. "Feet killing you? Don't sleep in your shoes next time."

 

"Sleep in my... Oh. Did you take them off?"

 

"That's what best friends do. Now shut up and hug me." He grumbled.

 

The hold loosened slightly, allowing both to settle more comfortably in each other's arms, savoring the simple pleasure and warmth of human contact. Neither fought the urge to doze when it crept up on them.

 

Tea Gardener expertly juggled a toddler on one hip, holding her son's hand, and opening her front door. Getting the door open wasn't the trick. Keeping said children quiet when all they wanted to do was go zooming in and wake their Uncle Joey, was the true sleight of hand. Tea had learned long ago that when her children were set on something all the talking in the world meant nothing. She knew she had maybe a minute before her babies forgot all about letting their beloved Joey sleep and went tearing into his room to jump on the hapless man. She only hoped Joey was up to coping with the kids.

 

Buying some time, she whispered, "Ty, take your sister and go turn on the television - keep it low." She carefully placed Rinny on her feet. "Rinny, go with Ty and watch Spongebob." It was dirty, but who said being a mom was clean? Tea watched as her petite daughter practically dragged her much larger, stronger brother into the family room. She hung up her purse and turned to consider Joey's door. With a shake of her head she turned to join her children. There were a few minutes left before she had to leave and a few more minutes wouldn't hurt Joey.

 

She expected to find her children seated in their favorite chairs with Sean chatting with them. Sean was a nice man, a good friend for Joey, but strangely out of synch with what Tea knew of her old friend. There was no denying Sean was a good influence, calming and clear headed, helping Joey whenever he could, but the fire that had once blazed in the blond was absent around Sean, as if his very presence doused the flames of spirit that illuminated the soul she had always known as Jounouchi Katsuya. Sometimes it was a good thing because wildfires were unpredictable and dangerous, but other times, the missing flame created a painful ache that made Tea want to cry for her friend.

 

She was surprised to walk into the family room to find Joey sound asleep in an embrace with Seto Kaiba, with Sean nowhere to be seen. What was more startling was the way both men seemed completely comfortable in the embrace. Seto's face was hidden in Joey's neck and Joey's face was buried in Seto's hair. It was strangely poignant, because of the contentment that radiated from both of them. Without even a second thought she pulled out her cell phone and snapped a couple pictures.

 

"Mommy. Why is Joey sleeping with Seto?" Ty whispered.

 

The quick thinking mom answered in a whisper too. "I... uhm... When Rinny cries you sometimes go sleep with her to make her feel better right? Joey was upset and Seto is making him feel better."

 

"Like Joey does when Mommy cries for Daddy?" The irrepressible four year old asked.

 

"Yeah, just like that Tyler." Well maybe not exactly, Tea thought wryly. Joey had never been anything but platonic in comforting her. There was an intimacy and a kind of sensual 'vibe' that was in the air around the dozing couple, despite the innocent embrace. "You guys go watch television in my room - no jumping on the bed - and be quiet."

 

She waited until she heard the low murmur of the television before turning back to the couple on the sofa. She was surprised to find bright blue eyes regarding her sleepily. "Ah, hey." She whispered awkwardly.

 

The sleepiness was replaced instantly by razor sharp awareness and a touch of warning. Seto's chin dipped slightly but he didn't say a word. She took the hint. "I'll go get ready to leave. See you in a bit." She mumbled softly as she turned and on feet made light through years of training, left the room silently.

 

Joeys sleepy chuckle surprised Seto. "It's her house Seto."

 

"I thought you were asleep. You need sleep - you look like hell." But not as bad as before, Seto noted.

 

"I'm okay, better now, and getting better every minute." The blond gave him a tight squeeze and disentangled himself from Seto's hug. "Thanks to my friends." With a grimace he looked down at his rumpled suit. "I'll feel even better when I change. No offense Seto but how do you wear these things all the time. They aren't comfortable and the seam is tight against the boys."

 

"I'll introduce you to my tailor. His seams don't crush my boys. If they did I would have a new tailor." He smiled slightly at Joey's look. "I know you're thinking 'moneybags' but did you know that you can buy an off the rack suit a size larger and have it tailored very inexpensively? It's how my tailor trains his lackeys in the basics of measuring for style and comfort."

 

"You've bought off the rack?" Utter disbelief.

 

"Not me. I've always been too tall and thin to wear off the rack. Mokuba is about two inches shorter, but broader across the chest and waist. He can wear off the rack and often does, although they are tailored to fit him." Seto shrugged. "I don't scrimp on things that need the extra expense, but I earn every penny I have, so I watch where I spend it. I'm rich, and I'm going to stay that way - I don't pay more than I need to for anything."

 

"So you're a miser?" The idea actually appealed to Joey's frugal soul. He understood hanging on to everything and valuing what was hard-earned.

 

"Frugal." Seto corrected.

 

"Potato, potahto." Joey teased. "I'm going to change." The teasing faded and yearning took its place. "Don't run away?"

 

"Couldn't move me with a bomb." The brunet agreed calmly.

 

Joey smiled and vanished down the hall. Seto eased out of his suit jacket and grimaced at the large, sticky blob on the back. "The bubblegum was holding me down." The brunet blinked and looked around when a toneless voice laughed and whispered 'Welcome to the family.'

 

Seto was still standing frozen when Joey returned wearing only shorts and a comfortable t-shirt with another retro game - Galaga - emblazoned on it. "What's wrong?" Blond brows drew together in concern at his imitation of a statue.

 

"Ah, nothing. I was just afraid of smearing this..." He gestured to the gum blob that was shared between his jacket and the couch. "All over."

 

"Oh wow. Ty said he swallowed it. Gimme the jacket and I'll get the gum out. Is it dry clean only? We have Dryel so that will work if it is."

 

"Dryel?" Seto lifted his own brows in question. He put the memory of that odd, disembodied voice away never to be thought of again. Real or imaginary, it hadn't been malevolent so he would ignore it.

 

"Yeah, its a product that cleans dry clean clothes without the dry cleaner. You can use your own home dryer. Saves us about forty bucks a month." Joey grinned slightly. "You confessed to being a miser so I'll tell you right off, dancers don't make much money and neither do adjunct faculty or part-time CLS workers. Not enough to afford this place. Tea bought it with the life insurance and settlement from Dylan's accident and she set aside the rest for the kid's education. We get by okay but we are very frugal too." He took the gum smeared jacket. "I'll go get the gum off. There is a removal stick that is part of the Dryel package. This isn't the first time gum has found its way to clothes."

 

"Thanks - for the clean up and the information." Mentally Seto made a note to ask his housekeeper about Dryel and if one of the maids had the time to perform the function. Not only would it save money, but time as well, not to mention he would not have to worry about strange people fondling his clothes. Sometimes he caught a whiff of cologne on his jackets and when he went to discuss it with the dry cleaner, he had recognized it as the cologne the other man wore. He had gone away satisfied that it was just proximity, but still he didn't like it. Maybe this was an answer that didn't involve finding a new dry cleaner.

 

Joey grinned and poofed through a side door, presumably the laundry area. Seto decided that since he was here and likely to stay he was going to get comfortable. He kicked off his shoes and carried them to the hall, placing them beside the door.

 

Joey met him in the hall. "Ah, all cleaned and in the dryer. I'll go tell Tea we're awake."

 

"Not necessary." The dancer said from the stairs. "When the dryer kicked on I knew you guys were up." Her blue eyes studied him carefully. "You're looking better. How do you feel?"

 

"Better. I've said it before - the world would be a better place with required naps." A smile edged across his lips.

 

"Yeah, yeah." She smiled and shook her head at the blond. "I have to go. I'll bring the kids down. They're watching Spongebob on Netflix."

 

Joey scooped up the remote and scanned through the menu to bring up Netflix and the program. "Good thing about Spongebob is that they won't care if we restart it."

 

Ty bounded down the steps, making a beeline for Joey. "Unc' Joey guess where we went for supper? Guess! Guess!"

 

"Hmmm judging by the mustard on your shirt and the pickles on your breath, I'd say Angelo's hot dog cart in the park."

 

"Yeah! I ate a whole soy dog. Rinny just ate half a one, but mommy shared with her so that's okay. Mommy got some bun crumbs from the Ang'lo and we fed the birds." The boy bounced around him as excited as a puppy. "A couple of 'em just kinda flopped over so mom said they must be sick an' we had to get away from them."

 

Joey burst out laughing and scooped up the little boy. "Seto, did you hear that?"

 

"Shut up before I smile, Puppy." Seto gritted, although he could feel his own lips twitching at the coincidence.

 

Tea, eyes soft with relief at the sound of Joey's laughter, set Rinny on her feet and smiled slightly. "Wish me luck, the hot shots are back, lurking in the audience, looking for talent for their hush-hush, elite dance troupe."

 

"Good luck Tea." Joey said sincerely. "Let's hope the egg from the other day didn't put them off too much." The pretty brunette flushed at the reminder of her forgetting to wipe Rinny's mouth and being in such a hurry that she didn't notice the egg smudges on her leotard.

 

Seto nodded, "Ganbatte."

 

She responded automatically, "Ganbarimasu." After quick kisses to her children, she hurried out the door.

 

Seto found himself under the intense scrutiny of a blonde moppet. "Thetoh." He presumed that was her saying his name so he nodded as he knelt down to the tiny girl. "Yes and you're Rinny."

 

The little girl nodded and took off down the hall. "Uh, should I follow her?"

 

Joey looked up from where he was slipping Ty's shoes off. "Nah, she'll be right back. She probably went to get her stuffy. She sleeps with it, and since she just ate she probably wants to lay down."

 

"Oh." Seto blinked as the little girl walk-ran back into the room and stood in front of him, cradling an unidentifiable and distinctly grubby looking stuffed 'thing' and looking up at him expectantly. "Ah, welcome back?" He felt stupid but he didn't know what else to say. It must have been all right because she used her free arm to glomp onto his leg. "Ah, okay. You want me to pick you up?" Helplessly he looked over at Joey. 

 

"Pick her up and she will scream. Sit down and she... You will see." Joey gave him a sweet smile.

 

Seto would do a lot for that smile, fly to the moon, destroy worlds, even sit down. He lowered himself back on the couch where he and Joey had been dozing before. His butt had barely hit the cushion when the blonde girl scrambled onto his lap and snuggled into his chest, her thumb finding it's way to her mouth as her 'stuffy' mashed between them. In five seconds her eyes had closed and she was drifting off to sleep. Startled, Seto looked up at Joey with wide, terrified eyes.

 

Joey just gave him that sweet smile again and held a finger to his lips, silently telling him to be quiet. Ty, now barefoot, stood beside Joey either having some kind of convulsive fit, or doing some kind of victory dance. Seto took a stab in the dark and went with victory dance since Joey didn't seem to be upset by the jerky, movements and jumping up and down the little boy was doing. He would have to ask later.

 

He actually didn't have to ask. He figured it out on his own when Joey sank down cross-legged in front of the television set and Ty leaped onto his lap with what looked like painful enthusiasm - painful for Joey, if Ty's heel placement was as bad as it seemed.

 

Seto was used to sitting for long periods of time, but he was unused to a twenty-five pound toddler glommed to his chest. Once he got past the strangeness of it, he found the experience very pleasant. He had never considered himself a cuddler, but he enjoyed cuddling the tiny blonde. Disappointment touched him when, after about an hour, Joey set Ty on the floor to watch television and took the heavily sleeping girl from his arms, carrying her upstairs, presumably to her bed.

 

He turned back to run smack into the candid gaze of a four year old. "Ty! Is the movie over?"

 

"Yes." The gaze became curious. "Unc' Joey said you were his friend. Mommy said you were hugging him like I hug Rinny when she is crying. Are you his brother or his friend? Do you sleep with him too?"

 

"I'm his friend. But I have a little brother too, so I know how to give hugs to make him feel better." Seto answered diplomatically. Children were supposed to be naive and oblivious, but this child had asked two very astute questions in a short amount of time.

 

"Okay." The boy nodded. "So it's okay for friends to hug too. I kinda wondered about that because Unc' Joey pushed Sean away when Sean hugged him earlier. Sean is Unc' Joey's friend."

 

Seto was saved from a reply by Joey answering from the stairs. "That's because Seto is a special friend. Only special friends are allowed to give 'feel better' hugs."

 

"Oh okay, so like you were Daddy's special friend." The boy took that information with equanimity. "My bath ready?"

 

"Yeah little man, let's go. You want some help or you good on your own?" Joey ruffled the brown hair as the boy rushed past.

 

"You and Seto come play boats with me!" The rambunctious one shrieked as he dashed up stairs.

 

Ty's elastic waisted jeans and printed superman underwear were on the floor and the little boy was struggling with his t-shirt when Joey, closely followed by Seto crowded into the narrow bathroom. "Let me help you Ty." Joey plucked the shirt off the tot’s head and grinned. "There you go. Hop in but no..." The blond sighed as the tidal wave splashed over the side of the tub soaking the clothes on the floor, the tiles, and most importantly, both Seto and Joey's sock clad feet. "Splashing." He gave the blue-eyed brunet and apologetic grimace as he grabbed a towel and mopped up the worst of the water, then knelt and stripped off his socks.

 

Seto followed his example and bent to remove his sodden socks, disgusted by the feel of wet nylon. There was just something slick and unpleasant about it. He didn't get a chance to straighten before a hard something caught him on the side of the head. "What?"

 

"Your boat Seto." Ty grinned and pointed to the bright yellow and orange boat that was laying by Seto's foot, having obviously just landed there after making contact with his head.

 

"Oh thank you. It's a lovely boat. Does it have a name?" Seto took up a kneeling position next to Joey, holding the boat out to admire it.

 

"Name? Boats have names?"

 

"Most boats are named after girls." Seto informed the little boy gravely.

 

He pointed to the boat in Seto's hand. "Oh. Okay. That is Rinny, 'cause it has a yellow top like Rinny's yellow hair." He frowned at the green and blue boat Joey was holding. "Mommy has blue eyes, so that boat is Mommy." He scooped up a white and green boat. "This is Ms. Hanna at the daycare because she's prettier than mommy."

 

"Whoa there bud, don't let your mom hear that. Your mom is really pretty." Joey defended.

 

"I know. Everyone says how pretty she is. Ms. Hanna is prettier, 'cuz she's bigger and softer. Her bones don't poke when she hugs. She is so soft and round and so pretty! I'm gonna marry her when I grow up, so she can give me soft hugs all the time."

 

Seto choked slightly and sent Joey a laughing glance. A four year old boob man? Did they really start that young? Obviously so. "She sounds lovely." Seto agreed. "So how do we play boats?" He hoped to distract the small boy.

 

The kid gave him a 'duh' look and dunked 'Ms. Hanna' violently. "Ya sink 'em." He yelled gleefully as waves of water splashed over the edge of the tub.

 

Seto gave the rambunctious little one a modified glare. "I believe your Uncle said..." He broke off to sputter as a large spray of water hit his face. The smug smirk on the small boy's face was too much like Joey's to let the brat get away with it. It was on. With deliberate force and calculation he dunked 'Rinny' in the water, sending a spray of water directly into that smug look.

 

"Uh Seto, you can't win. You need to remember he's just a kiii... Aeeiii... that's it I'm out of here! Seto, you're cleaning up the mess!" Joey scrambled back as a tsunami sent water up and over the edge of the tub and crashing into the spot where he had knelt just seconds before. Graceless as a crab he scuttled backwards out of the bathroom and sat with his back to the wall outside the door.

 

As he listened to the childish shrieks of laughter punctuated with deep, rusty sounding chuckles, his shadowed heart brightened. Yeah, it sucked that his dad was dead, that the always hoped-for reconciliation he dreamed of would never happen, but he was whole and complete without it. There would always be a tiny shadow of regret, of 'what-if' but on the whole, Joey knew that his life, exactly as it was right now, was where he wanted to be. The loss was his father's, not his, and he wouldn't let that tiny shadow of 'what if' tarnish the brightness of his present or the promise of his future. A promise that was shining brighter with every deep laugh that floated from the bathroom.

 

He decided to make himself useful and went to get Ty's jammies and extra towels from the linen closet. He knew they would need them. On impulse he went downstairs and grabbed one of his pajama sets for what was sure to be a sopping wet Seto Kaiba. He had just gotten back to the landing when the other man bellowed, "Katsuya! Come get the King of Boats. I can't step out of the bathroom without soaking the carpets."

 

Joey poked his head around the corner and snickered. "Told you. You can't win. He has all the weapons around him, besides he loves water and isn't afraid of ruining any clothes." The blond was charmed down to the heels of his bare feet. Seto was soaked from his dripping chestnut hair to his feet. Not a single space between was dry, including his eyelashes. "I've never seen you so wet, even when we showered together." He teased the normally fastidious man.

 

Ty clambered out of the empty bathtub and reached for the towel Joey held out for him. "Thanks Unc' Joey. I like your special friend Seto. He can play with me any time. He knows how to really sink boats good."

 

"Well bud, maybe sometimes, but mommy likes to play boats too."

 

The boy rolled his eyes and pouted. "She can go dance more or something. Seto plays way better than her. She always worries about the towels and stuff."

 

"That's what mom's do." Joey admonished as he used another towel to dry the boy's hair. "Come out here buddy. Step on the towel to keep the carpet dry." He tossed the remaining four towels to the dripping brunet. "Use the towels to clean up the great flood, Oh Great Boatsman. I'll get you some more towels and something dry to change into." He pulled his head back out of the doorway and briskly dried off the little boy chattering away about 'their friend Seto' and boats.

 

Joey let him talk, knowing from experience that the boy would wind down. Once he was dressed in his pajamas and tucked under a warm blanket, he would be fast asleep in minutes. Sure enough, almost as soon as the footies were in place, the little boy fell silent. "Time to brush your teeth." He poked his head around the door only to gasp and pull it back immediately. "Geeze, warn a guy when you're flashing your junk okay? Catch!" He blindly threw the neatly folded white with blue piping pajama set into the bathroom.

 

"Got it, thanks. Sorry, the water was getting cold in places I like warm. If you had waited another two seconds you would have seen a towel instead of my 'junk.' There was a distinct snap in Seto's voice on the last word.

 

"Chill Kaiba, it wasn't a slur. What decade do you live in? 'Junk' is the way privates are referred to by people of this decade."

 

"I am aware, I simply prefer not to be referred to as 'junk' in any sense." The snap became a hint of frost.

 

"Got it. Put all the wet stuff in a pile will you? I'll run them through the washer and dryer. Uhm... your pants and shirt. Dryel?"

 

"The pants yes, the shirt no. It's plain cotton so cold water will work." The snap and the frost were gone. "I'm a jerk."

 

"Yep, but we love you anyway. Don't we Ty?" Joey replied without thinking about it.

 

"Right. Seto hurry up and come out so I can brush my teeth. I'm kinda tired." Ty whined.

 

The tall brunet, lower half clad in slightly snug white cotton pajama bottoms and top half bare except for a towel and a few random drops of water, stepped into the hall carrying what looked like a mountain of towels and random clothes. "Sorry to keep you waiting." The tall brunet smiled slightly. "I'll take these downstairs."

 

The little boy's mouth set stubbornly. "You come back and tuck me in bed too."

 

"Wouldn't miss it." Seto hurried downstairs to the room where he'd seen Joey disappear earlier with his gum smeared jacket.

 

Ty was sitting up in his bed impatiently, ignoring Joey's attempts to calm him, and watching the door when Seto found the right room. "Hey, shouldn't you be laying down?"

 

"Not til you tuck me in." The stubborn look was back.

 

Seto chuckled and moved to the boy's bedside. "You have been spending too much time with your Uncle Joey. That look of pure stubbornness is one he perfected probably about the age you are now." Seto smoothed the blankets over the boy. "Sleep well."

 

"Good night Seto, Unc' Joey." Ty snuggled down with a sigh. "See ya in th' morning."

 

Joey grinned and led Seto from the room. When they got downstairs the blond chuckled. "He thinks you're prettier than Ms. Hanna even though you're not as soft. Your smile is prettier."

 

"Thanks, I think." Seto gave him a lopsided smirk. "I'm not sure how to work your washer or the Dryel and I don't want to mess things up. So I just put everything in the hamper, okay?"

 

"I'll deal with it." The blond shrugged. "So Tea didn't bring back any food. Why don't you go pick a movie on Netflix and I'll whip us up some dinner."

 

"We can order in, if you like? And what about Rinny's bath?" Seto asked hesitantly.

 

"Don't worry about Rinny, she had a bath before the park." He shooed the tall brunet with his hands. "Nah I don't want takeout. I got something I think you're going to like. It won't take long at all. Go pick a movie."

 

"Serve you right if I chose a chick flick." Seto grumbled as he turned away.

 

"Chick flick? Yeah right. You're going to want to watch something deep and meaningful, probably with french or italian subtitles." Joey scoffed.

 

"You know me so well." Seto cooed, his voice dripping with sarcasm.

 

"If you start talking about the human experience I warn you I'll hang you up by your ankles and torture you with a cattle prod."

 

"Oooh promises, promises." He snickered and began to page through the choices, knowing exactly what he was looking for. The selection wasn't even a play to cater to Joey. Seto genuinely enjoyed the Marvel series of movies. "I have three movies queued. Anything I can do?"

 

Joey was looking out the kitchen window. "Uh yeah. Hey Seto could you tell your driver to go home? You can borrow my car or take a taxi something. A limo is kinda... well..."

 

Seto huffed and wanted to kick himself. He'd completely forgotten about the limo and driver. "Got it." He dialed the number for his driver. The man's voice answered before the end of the first ring. "Yes, Mister Kaiba?"

 

"Go home. I'm going to be here for several more hours. If I need a ride I'll take a taxi or something. Thanks for waiting."

 

"Yes Mister Kaiba. Mister Kaiba?" The driver's voice, sounding strained and vaguely apologetic, came back.

 

"Yes? Is there a problem?" Seto sincerely hoped not. Fender benders in the limo always led to headaches.

 

"No problem as such. I was wondering if I could use the facilities in the house, Sir. It's been over six hours and you told me to wait so I haven't..." The man's voice trailed off in an embarrassed whisper.

 

"One moment." Seto squeezed his eyes tight and fought back an oath. "Katsuya can the driver use your bathroom?"

 

"Yeah sure. He can use the one down here." Joey popped his head around the door of the kitchen. "Let him in will you? Don't let the bell ring or anything. The kids will wake."

 

"Thanks. Yes you may. Please just come to the door, do not ring the bell or knock. The children just went to sleep. I'll let you in." He disconnected the call just as the smell of bacon began to waft in the air.

 

The driver was pathetically grateful when Seto let him in. His employee was either in too much in distress or embarrassed to notice Seto's changed attire. Seto didn't care why the man didn't notice, he just pointed the poor man to the correct door.

 

The smell of bacon drew Seto to the kitchen like a lodestone. "That smells incredible." His blue eyes widened as he saw the large griddle filled with at least a pound of thick cut bacon. "And you're making enough that you might actually get a slice."

 

The blond laughed and glanced over his shoulder, "I love real bacon too. Tea only lets the kids have turkey or soy bacon." He turned back to something he was mixing in front of him. Seto was perfectly content to breathe in the drool-worthy bacon and enjoy the equally evocative view of Joey making him dinner. His enjoyment was cut short by a soft cough behind him.

 

"What?" He didn't hide his irritation with his employee's interruption.

 

"I just wanted to say thank you and..." The man's voice died and a large rumble was heard. Seto turned to glare at the driver, but Joey was already talking.

 

"No thanks needed. How long were you out there anyway?" The too friendly blond asked.

 

"Five hours forty-nine minutes, eighteen seconds." The man rattled off.

 

"You didn't go anywhere?"

 

"Mister Kaiba ordered I park and wait for him. I didn't want to miss his call to be picked up." The man said quietly.

 

"So you sat and didn't move." Joey chuckled. "You're looking pale. You haven't eaten or drank have you? Are you lightheaded or dizzy?" Joey ushered the man to a seat. "I'll get you a sandwich and some water."

 

"Oh no! I couldn't do that." The man protested, but allowed himself to be pressed into sitting.

 

A cold bottle of water plunked down in front of the man. "Don't be stupid. If you drive before you eat and drink you will probably crash into something or someone. Just sit right there. The bread should be done toasting any second." A metallic ding made Joey smile. "Hey Seto sit down and I'll serve you too." With a glare that demanded more than asked, the blond practically shoved the pajama clad man into the chair across from his driver.

 

Seto glared at Joey for a moment before turning his gaze to his obviously horrified driver. He actually felt twin spurts of humor and compassion. The poor man was probably more upset than Seto was by this turn of events. If bacon hadn't been involved, Seto could almost find it in himself to try to put the man at ease, but it was bacon! Damn it, real bacon! No way was he going to forgive his driver for depriving him of bacon handcooked by Katsuya!

 

Joey smirked as he saw the resentful look Seto cast at the driver and the wistful look he then sent the bacon. Who knew the mega rich man had a thing for bacon? Ruefully, Jou pulled out the last half pound of bacon from the fridge, laid it out on the griddle to sizzle, then turned back to assembling the sandwiches. Thanks to his time as a cook, the sandwich and chip plates were ready in no time. He slid the first in front of the driver, then served Seto, bending low to whisper in the visibly snarling brunet's ear. "Be a good slave driver and play nice. I'll make you another."

 

"Hnn..." Was Seto's low response.

 

Joey knew if Seto were a dog, he would have bit the hand feeding him. Staying close, he whispered, "Please?" Making the simple word sound like an intimate request. Okay the manipulation was dirty, but the poor driver looked like he would choke on any bite he forced himself to take.

 

"Hmm... Rawlins, I apologize for keeping you so long. I should have sent you home hours ago. Please enjoy your sandwich and drink." Seto soothed in a voice as smooth as silk and completely sincere. It was that sincerity that told Joey just how much his snobby friend hated apologizing to the 'help.' Seto only sounded that sincere with people he didn't care about when he was lying through his teeth.

 

The driver blinked up at him uncertainly for a moment before giving Seto a relieved smile. "Thank you, Sir." He said as he enthusiastically tucked into the meal.

 

Seto, after an oblique glance at Joey, picked up his own sandwich and moaned, literally moaned at the first bite. "Oh god Katsuya, it's Kevin Bacon multiplied..." 

 

"Hmmm yes. I get the bread from the same bakery as Boneshakers. I use real ingredients, not that tofu crap, and I double the bacon." The blond grinned at the low moans of pleasure coming from the table. If he didn't know better he would think the men were in the middle of very hot sex. His own bread was finished toasting, but since he was still cooking the bacon, he chose to eat standing at the half wall, watching them with smiling eyes.

 

Seto's sandwich was gone and the driver's was down to a bite when Joey slid a second sandwich on Seto's plate. "Eat up."

 

Rawlins gave his employer's plate a covetous look but rose to his feet. "Thank you Mister Wheeler, Mister Kaiba. I feel much better so I'll be on my way now." When there were no polite protests or offers of another sandwich, he bobbed his head and hurried for the door. As affable as Mister Wheeler was, as gracious as Mister Kaiba had been, Rawlins got the distinct impression his welcome was worn out. An impression born out by neither his host nor his employer seeing him out of the townhouse.

 

Joey assembled a second sandwich for himself and slid into the chair across from Seto. "Thanks."

 

Seto put down his half eaten second sandwich and glared. "You owe me. I want the recipe for this sandwich." Still glaring he picked up the sandwich and took a bite. His eyes lost their ferocity as the flavors exploded on his tastebuds.

 

"Yeah, yeah. I'll even show you how to make it." The blond grinned unrepentantly. "Now I know what your weakness is. Wheeler does Kevin Bacon."

 

Seto coughed slightly. "I have a bigger weakness along that line, if you care to hear it?"

 

"I don't know." Joey pretended to consider. "Secrets like that are dangerous. Could get me in a lot of trouble."

 

"You're right." Seto swallowed his last bite. "Never mind. So you ready to watch movies?"

 

"Yeah. I cleaned as I went. The griddle has to cool. We just have to stick the plates in the dishwasher and we're good."

 

"Hmm you're not finished. You finish and I'll put my plate in the dishwasher and see if the griddle is cool enough to wash."

 

"It's hand wash only Seto. It doesn't go in the dishwasher." Joey warned.

 

The brunet smirked and stood up, clearing away his and Rawlins's plates. "I've probably washed as many dishes as you in my life. I used to have to wash dishes at the orphanage. Dishes for fifty kids and ten adults every day for over nine months. I can handle a griddle and a few plates." He made short work of it too. 

 

Joey was surprised and impressed. "Never knew you could wash dishes." He stood and brought his empty plate in, slipping it into the dishwasher. "You never talk about that time."

 

"I don't care to think about it." Seto finished rinsing the sink. "Movies?" He effectively dismissed the topic.

 

"Depends, will I have to know French or Italian?” He commented as they moved to the living room. “I'm not up to putting my contacts in to read subtitles."

 

"I didn't know you wore contacts." Seto frowned slightly.

 

"I needed glasses all through school and never knew. Didn't know until Sean noticed me squinting at the television. He brought me to an optometrist. I've worn contacts since. Glasses were just too nerdy for me."

 

"I think I'd have to see you wear them to agree or disagree." Seto smiled slightly. "I think they would be adorable on you, and if the frames were right you'd be sexy as hell. Naughty librarian fantasy brought to life."

 

"Seto, you do know that in that fantasy is where you would be 'punished' right?"

 

"A fond dream, for a sexy librarian to cuff me to the desk and take my overdue fees personally." The brunet actually laughed at the other man's wide-eyed look. "C'mon, start the movie.

 

"Oh, yeah." Joey grabbed the remote and pushed play. "Ah hell, tell me you actually like this."

 

"I like Marvel Movies. Iron Man is well done, as is the first Avengers. I've even seen the rushes for the new Avengers due out next year. Good entertainment and a good opportunity for KC to cash in on the popularity as we own a stake in Marvel."

 

"Always kind of confused me. You talk about KC like it's another person. You own the majority. Why the 'we'?"

 

"Corporations were given the status of a person by the American supreme court in two thousand ten. We the People are now controlled by We the Corporations. It is a great place to own a corporation." Seto gave him a smirk.

 

Joey shook his head. "Man, that's just wrong, but I'm too mentally messed to try to sort it out right now. Let's put that away right now and watch Iron Man."

 

Seto agreed with shelving the topic. It wasn't something he and Katsuya would ever agree on. Joey settled on the couch and normally Seto would have joined him, but decided instead to sit on the floor next to the blond's legs. He would try to show that he wasn't as selfish physically as he had been. Timing was crucial, and the third time Joey stretched and flexed his feet, Seto reached over and gently caught the bare foot closest to him. "Feet still sore?"

 

"Mmm, am I fidgeting too much?" The bare-foot blond asked quietly.

 

"Not at all. Why don't I rub them for you. See if I can get out some of the soreness." He didn't wait for an answer, swivelling around to sit cross-legged at Joey's feet, drawing them into his lap and picking up the right, beginning a slow, soothing rub at the heel. Joey tensed for a moment, then relaxed, giving wordless permission.

 

Seto concentrated on the heel, then spread outward in slow, deep circles, finding pinpoints of tension amid the small bones of the surprisingly delicate foot. He didn't ever remember noticing just how fine boned Joey was all those years ago, or how uniquely shaped. "Your big toe is really deep set, almost as deep as a thumb."

 

"If you're going to make a monkey remark..."

 

"It's not that deep. Just different than I've ever seen. I never noticed it before. You get it from your mom?" Seto asked as he switched to the other foot.

 

"Nah, my dad. He always said his dad was the same. Said it meant we're nothing but dumb monkeys, not worth anything outside a zoo." Defensively Joey tried to pull his offensive feet away.

 

"He's just died so I will refrain from saying what I think of him for saying that." Seto held on fast and after a moment Joey stopped pulling away. Lightly he ran a curious fingertip over the high arch and down to Joey's toes. "Are you ticklish?"

 

"If you want to have a tickle fight, keep it up. I gotta warn you, you will lose. I've been wrestling with Ty and Rinny. You are probably out of practice. I won't stop until you cry uncle or piss your - my - pants." The blond jumped guiltily. "Ah man I forgot your clothes. I'll go deal with them now."

 

Seto reluctantly let him go. Joey was back in just a minute carrying his jacket and pants. "Shirt and socks are in the dryer. Couldn't find your underwear."

 

Seto chuckled slightly. "I'll let you keep them as a momento." He waved to the back of the couch. "Just set it there. I'll change after the movies." He hesitated for a moment. "Grab the pillows and come down here. We can both stretch out."

 

"Mmm.... If I'm gonna stretch out I'm gonna get comfortable. I'll go change into pajama's too. What did you do with the top to that set?"

 

"On the hook in the bathroom. It was too short in the arms and too tight across the elbows."

 

"Figures. Okay I'll be right back." In a blond streak Joey was gone. Seto had arranged the pillows from the sofa as well as a few throw cushions from the the chairs into a comfortable nest by the time he returned.

 

Joey was back in record time and he dove into the nest Seto created without even a hint of hesitation. "Ah great idea. I forget how great it feels just to spread out somewhere. Twin beds aren't great for that."

 

"Why a twin?" Seto was curious. Katsuya was a creature of comfort.

 

"Oh, well see if I had a bigger bed I'd be tempted to have overnight guests. I don't really want to expose the kids to that. Better not to have the temptation." 

 

"Good choice." Seto agreed with it wholeheartedly, if not for the same reasons. "Stop wiggling and let's watch the movie."

 

Joey huffed a sigh, rolled on his side, and scooted back until he was spooned against Seto's side. Seto took the hint and curled onto his side, spooning around the blond, watching the movie over Joeys shoulder. Sometime between explosions and drama, they dozed off.

 

Seto woke to a breeze on his skin, which was strange because he felt incredibly warm and comfortable. A soft breeze on his chest caught his attention and he glanced down to see that Joey was snuggled into his chest, the soft breezes, his breath. Heart melting, he threaded his hand tenderly through the silky blond hair.

 

Hazy golden eyes opened slowly and met his gaze. "Seto?” Confusion and happiness lit the groggy depths. "Dragon... Kiss me." Katsuya sighed and his sleep-heavy eyes fell closed again as he lifted his lips up for a kiss.

 

Seto took that one taste, exploring gently, savoring the rare, never forgotten taste of his love. When Katsuya tried to deepen the kiss clutching his back, trying to bring him on top of him, Seto resisted the pull, reluctantly broke the kiss, and nuzzled into the golden mane. "Sleep Katsuya. I'll be here in the morning."

 

In just a minute Katsuya was breathing deeply again, his breath sending chills across Seto's chest. Seto stayed awake as long as he could, enjoying every breath drifting over his skin, but slowly, inevitably he drifted off.

 

Just as the sun touched the sky, a wail somewhere between a lost soul and a fire truck brought them both straight up out of their comfy nest. Joey blinked at Seto in confusion for a moment before the haunting sound echoed around them again. Then the blond leaped up with a muffled, "Rinny!"

 

Seto rose and stood at the bottom of the stairs, concern and discretion, warring as when the wails didn't stop immediately after Joey disappeared upstairs. "Hey Seto could you come up here please? I need some help and Tea's not home yet."

 

Seto didn't need a second invitation. The little girl's banshee cries were sending shivers up and down his spine. She sounded so hurt and upset. "What's up Joey?"

 

"Could you run a warm bath? Rinny's had a little accident and the wet is burning her skin." The blond gestured to the wet spot on the toddler sized bed and the soaked jammies he'd obviously just pulled off the little girl.

 

"Sure." Seto hotfooted it to the bathroom and turned on the faucet, hoping that warm for him meant warm for Rinny too. After a moment he remembered seeing some mothers test temperature of bottles against their wrists. He tested the water that way and found it slightly uncomfortable and added a bit of cold. Another check and it felt fine. He left the water to run and went back to Rinny's room. "Tub's filling. Anything else?"

 

Rinny's wails had turned to hiccuping sobs as she grizzled into Joey's chest. "Ah, run down and get me some more pajamas from my room after we get in the tub? I'm going to hop in the water with her. She's in a lot of discomfort. I don't think she can sit well."

 

"What happened?" Seto was at a loss. A bed wetting accident was common for children her age wasn't it?

 

"I assumed Tea bathed and changed her before taking her to the park. Rinny is a big girl, but she still has accidents, so she wears a pull up. It is kind of a panty that is a diaper too." Joey glared at the soiled, overfull pull up. "Rinny must have had more than one accident since yesterday morning - the pull up is the one I put on her yesterday morning. It was the last princess pull up we had. The new package is stars and ducks."

 

"So she spent the day in the same pull up, even though it was... used, and the night?" Seto clarified the salient points.

 

"Yeah, she slept in her own urine. Her skin is burned from it, not just her skin but her private areas. She has a really bad diaper rash." Joey's tone was even, but Seto could see the rage burning in the golden eyes. "Her bottom and thighs are like a giant red blister."

 

"Isn't there a cream or something?" Seto was sure the people at the orphanage had used something white and foul smelling on the babies.

 

"We don't have any. We've never needed it in the past, even in the heat of summer, we've always used powder and frequent changing to keep diaper rash away." Joey explained tensely as he walked to the bathroom cradling his snuffling little angel.

 

Seto trailed behind him feeling useless. It was obvious Joey was pissed beyond anything, but he was keeping it in check better than the old Katsuya ever had. Seto knew it was directly related to the little girl in his arms. He was surprised when, instead of wriggling out of his pajamas, Joey stepped directly into the tub and sat down, soaking his bottoms without hesitation. "Uh, forget to undress?"

 

"Nah, just know she wouldn't let me put her down to strip them off and I didn't want to make things awkward by asking you. Uhm, could you go get me some fresh pajamas? Please?"

 

"Right away. Is there anything I can do? Strip the bed and remake it? Get some pj's ready for her?" Seto hated feeling useless. If it meant changing the sheets and cleaning a wet bed, to avoid the feeling of being useless, he would do it.

 

"You are doing a lot of our laundry today. If you would dump the blankets and sheets in the washer that would be great. I've already put the pull up in a plastic bag and tied it off so there is no smell." Joey smiled grimly. "You have no idea how grateful I am you are here."

 

"Don't worry about being grateful to me. Concentrate on Rinny." With a nod, Seto left the room and got to work. He had finished stripping the sheets and wrapped them in the cleanest soiled piece - the blanket - for ease of transport, then he gingerly picked up the tied plastic bag in one hand and the bedding in the other, and carried them downstairs.

 

After tossing the sheets in the washer, he found the small garbage pail under the sink in the kitchen and stuffed the wrapped pull-up on top. With a grimace he washed his hands in the kitchen sink, then went to get Joey's pajamas.

 

He had been in Joey's room before and been struck by the lack of personality. It was a nice enough room, with antique replicas that went with the feel of the house, and attractive seascapes on the walls, but there was nothing in the space to indicate the fiery personality that Seto knew to be Jounouchi Katsuya. "Katsuya, where are you?" He whispered aloud.

 

Almost in answer to his question, he noticed the door to an armoire on the far side of the room was slightly open. The jumble in the armoire was similar to the way that Katsuya used to store his books and papers, however the content, once he realized what he was seeing, made Seto's breath catch. He resisted the urge to explore the untidy space and turned to the chest of drawers. Sure enough, the very top drawer held neatly folded pajamas. There wasn't a trace of the jumbled mess like in the armoire.

 

He grabbed the top pair and after a small glance at the armoire, hurried upstairs. Seto could hear Joey talking to the little girl, and judging by the giggles and splashing, Rinny was feeling much better. On impulse he stopped and after a quick search of the the 'nursery' found a light cotton dress looking thing that would cover the girl without irritating her bottom end. The infant ignorant CEO didn't think Joey would put her in a diaper. What he knew of diapers was sketchy, but by nature, they were warm and moist. Not the best choice for irritated skin.

 

Joey greeted his return with a smile, but Rinny looked up and beamed, shrieking "Thetoh!"

 

Seto gave the tiny blonde a small smile. "Rinny, are you feeling better."

 

She bobbed her head and held out her chubby, baby arms. "Thetoh HUGS! Thetoh HUGS RINNY!"

 

Seto wondered if the tot had any volume except scream, but he didn't try to argue. She was doing really well for someone whose day had started off with getting their genitals burned by urine. He placed the pajamas and dress-thing on the sink and went back and gave the little one a hug. He was shocked when she latched on to his neck and started to climb him like he was a tree. Automatically his arms closed around the slippery baby. "Hey..."

 

Joey, dripping water, laughed and levered himself up. "Looks like she wants to get out. Dry her off and put her in that dress - good choice. There should be some cornstarch in the kitchen we'll dust her with. Pat don't rub though."

 

"Shouldn't she soak some more? You guys have only been in about seven minutes."

 

"It got the urine off and cooled her skin. She'll be fine, we don't want to dry her skin out because the lotion might irritate her." Joey smiled slightly. "She really likes you." He stated the obvious.

 

Seto blinked down into the adoring hazel eyes of the little girl perched in his arms. "Why wouldn't she? She is a woman of very good taste." He used a free hand to pluck a towel from the towel bar and wrap it around her.

 

"Ego much?" He frowned slightly. "It is weird though because she usually isn't this friendly. Maybe it's because you look like Tea."

 

"Bite your tongue." Seto lifted his nose in the air haughtily. "Tea looks like me since I'm older."

 

"Yeah whatever. Get out of here. I'm not stripping with you both in here. One or the other, but both? No way. That is too perverted."

 

The brunet chuckled and grabbed the sunny yellow dress-thing as he carried Rinny out the door. "Nice to know you'll still get naked for me." The little girl’s delighted squeals could be heard when she joined in his chuckling as he carried her downstairs.

 

As he dried off and slid into the pajamas, Joey listened to the golden haired girl's laughter with a sense of wonder. Who would have ever thought Kaiba would ever be able to elicit that kind of response. Sure Joey knew he was good with kids. The guy had to be, since kids and entertainment were his job, but not toddlers and babies. They didn't fit in with the brunet's target demographic. Joey had noticed that Seto tended to get a deer in the headlight look around Rinny, but it usually faded to a kind of baffled warmth that actually made Joey want to hug Seto to within an inch of his life. It was completely adorable. Joey knew he was vulnerable where his ex-lover was concerned. Seto always got to him, and from what he could tell from their interaction, Seto still had feelings for him. The obvious caring for kids, even toddlers, got to him even more.

 

As much as Seto moved him, Katsuya wasn't sure he was ready to trust the brunet with his heart again. Friendship had seemed like a stretch, although now, after just a few times hanging out he saw clearly what he'd always intuited in the past. He and Seto were alike as much as they were different, and despite everything, a core deep inside both of them was linked.

 

They had been apart for several years and they had both changed but the basics of it had not changed. They were tied by a past that was magical, passionate, and tragic. The changes in them did not affect what was twined in their heart and souls. Joey wasn't as forgiving and trusting as he once was, thanks mostly to Seto, and Seto... Joey didn't know what to make of this open, honest Seto. Yeah the CEO could still be an ass, but he wasn't a closed, closeted ass. In fact he was more honest than Joey had ever known him to be. He was also more vulnerable. That terrified Joey, because he didn't know if he could handle Seto needing him. Joey had taught himself to need no one, and to let no one need him. That had changed, but only for the little ones, his Ty and Rinny. Even Tea knew better than to rely on him for anything that didn't directly relate to the children. 

 

He had learned his lessons in life well. The people he had needed had let him down when he needed them most. Seto, his father, his mother, and even his sister had abandoned him. He would never abandon the kids, but they were innocent victims. When Seto had come to him for friendship, for help with baggage, Joey had agreed, simply to try and get rid of his own baggage. Now, instead of going away, he could feel it's increasing weight. He could see the increase in Seto's eyes as well. So the question was, did he want to risk being needed by Seto? Did he want to risk needing Seto again?

 

He didn't know the answers, and while he watched Seto play with his little Rinny, feeding her bites of toast and jelly, he wondered if there was truly any question. Putting thoughts of Seto and their 'friendship' aside, Joey watched quietly, enjoying the laughter of the precious girl and the rare happiness and warmth beaming from normally icy sapphire eyes.

 

Seto glanced up to see Joey regarding him with dark, strangely turbulent eyes. "Something wrong?" He asked softly as he popped another bite of jelly toast in Rinny's mouth.

 

"Nah, something's kinda right. I've never seen you like this, I mean happy and playful. I was thinking you would make a great dad." The blond admitted, equally soft.

 

"I want children. I've considered a surrogate or a contract, but I'd rather not buy my children. There are plenty who need homes in orphanages. I want to wait though, until I have a life partner because as alternative as my lifestyle is , there is no doubt that children do better with two parents to balance them."

 

"Completely against marrying a woman to have a family? Not bi at all?" Joey asked. It had been a question that he'd always had, but never had the nerve to ask.

 

"I might be able to function physically - maybe - but I honestly haven't met a woman I could stand long enough to actually sleep with. They giggle, whine, scheme, manipulate or are overly dramatic. Not to mention they demand constant attention." Seto grinned down at the blonde toddler girl. "Present company excluded."

 

"Stereotyping. Not all women are like that." All of Joey's classes gave him the perfect answer.

 

"Name one." The brunet challenged.

 

Joey opened his mouth, closed it, opened again, closed it again, then nodded slightly. "Touche."

 

Seto chuckled and shook his head as he fed the last bite of the toast to the little girl. "The wipes are next to you. Hand me one please?"

 

Joey pulled a few from the container and leaned across to wipe down the jelly smeared girl just as Seto leaned forward to take the wipes. They ended up nose to nose, arms crossing behind each other, with Rinny off to the side blinking at them curiously.

 

They began to stammer at the same time, "Ah... I was going to..." "I thought you were handing..."

 

Seto laughed as he caught sight of the dark honey eyes so close to his. "Katsuya... move." He whispered huskily.

 

"Why don't you?" The blond rasped back.

 

"Can't... I want... too much..." The brunet tried to explain only to fall silent when Joey tilted his head slightly and lightly, questioningly, pressed their lips together.

 

'The same..." Katsuya thought. 'He tastes the same; feels the same.' Then his thoughts faded as the remembered fire and feelings streaked through him. Without any conscious thought he deepened the kiss, sending his tongue to trace Seto's lips and when they parted in invitation, to slide deep to twine and tease with Seto's own.

 

How long they would have kissed was a question they both would have enjoyed finding the answer to, however a temporarily ignored little girl had other plans. With a shriek that would raise the dead, she hurled herself between the two men, shoving them apart. Dazed blue eyes met rapidly sobering gold. "Ah..."

 

Rinny was crawling up Seto's chest, smearing jelly along the way, glaring murder at Joey. "Mine... MINE! MY MY... RINNY'S THETOH!" While Joey sat there dumbfounded at the normally placid child screaming ownership of the brunet, Rinny crawled higher on Seto's chest, making use of the arms that automatically closed to hold her to climb higher and put her face directly in Seto's, hazel eyes glaring fiercely into shocked blue. "MINE THETOH. NO NO NO BAD THETOH! BAD UNC' JOEY. MINE THETOH. NO NO UNC' JOEY." The enraged little girl burst into tears, sobbing, "Mine, mine..."

 

Helplessly, Seto stared at Joey. "Uh...?"

 

"Dunno, never seen her this way about anyone before." The blond frowned. "Seto, go sit on the couch I'll clean this up and then run upstairs and make her bed. When I come down I'll bring a few toys. It sounds like she needs some Seto time." He hesitated for a moment, then added softly as he climbed the stairs. "Can't say I blame her."

 

As soon as Joey was out of sight Rinny's sobs died and a sunny smile beamed out from her tear streaked face. "Mine." She said contentedly.

 

"Okay maybe present company not excluded. You are a true femme aren't you?" Seto mumbled with rueful affection.

 

Storm completely passed the blond girl beamed up at him as if he'd said the most wonderful thing in the universe and involuntarily, Seto's heart melted. Who could fight against such a worshipful, loving look coupled with the pure innocence of a baby. Certainly not him. "You are dangerous, you know that?"

 

A feminine voice answered from behind him. "I could have told you that."

 

Seto Kaiba did not jump or startle, instead he lifted his head, turning to look at Tea Gardener with censure plain in his eyes. "Good morning." He greeted coldly. He wasn't feeling particularly generous towards the girl and he wanted her to know it. Not only had she failed to care for her daughter's physical needs, but she hadn't relayed that on so they could take care of the little girl properly. In addition, parents had a responsibility to lead by example, and spending the night out doing god knows what was not a sound moral example. Seto knew he was being a hypocrite about it but that was how he felt - parents did not go out tomcatting when their babies needed them.

 

The woman rolled her eyes at his obvious displeasure. "What are you still doing here?"

 

"We fell asleep watching movies. Rinny woke us just a little bit ago - her bottom end was burning from not being changed before being put down for bed." Cutting disdain told her exactly what he thought of her parenting skills.

 

She frowned. "Joey didn't check on her? He normally does, several times. He should have caught her wet pull up."

 

"So you're saying that Joey should have caught your failure?" Seto snapped harshly. "How often does he make up for your neglectful and abusive parenting?"

 

"Neglectful?! Abusive?!" Tea shrilled. "Because I didn't change her pull up? Are you out of your mind? Wait! I don't give a damn. Give me my daughter and get the hell out of my house. Do not ever return or I'll have you arrested."

 

Seto glared, his arms tightening protectively around the tiny girl in his arm. "Katsuya invited me. I'll leave when he asks me." He didn't make a move to turn Rinny over to Tea.

 

"Fine! You think he won't bounce your ass in the street just because you charmed him back into your bed? You don't have a clue." The woman hissed, then shouted "Joey! Get down here now."

 

Seto heard Joey's heavy tread on the stairs. "Tea, what's up?"

 

"Get rid of him. I don't want him in my house again." She snarled and with all the speed and grace of her dancer's body, darted forward and snatched her daughter from Seto's arms. "Get rid of him now." The brunet woman didn't look back as she stalked up the stairs, ignoring Rinny's cries of 'Thetoh...Mommy Thetoh..."

 

Joey sighed and ran his hands through the back of his hair, tugging slightly. "Ah man." He sighed. "C'mon, let's get your clothes." Not meeting Seto's gaze he turned and led the way into the laundry room.

 

Awkward silence filled the space between them while Seto dressed and Joey folded laundry. "Ah, Seto..." Joey turned and met the calm gaze with stormy golden eyes. "About earlier."

 

The brunet didn't want to hear it, didn't want to hear his dreams be shattered by the apologetic blond. He'd rather crush them himself. "You don't have to say it. I know. It didn't mean anything, and now that Tea doesn't want me around you..."

 

"Geez shut up a second. You don't know what I'm going to say if you believe that. I... I liked the kiss. I hate to admit it because it means I am not as healed as I'd thought, but it was... I haven't felt like that with anyone else, and hell it wasn't even a decent kiss." He hesitated, biting his lip. "I know you don't want to be a friend with benefits, but I think you want to be more. The problem is that I'm not sure I want you to be more or that I want to be more... and Oh hell! That made no sense." Joey shook his head and huffed out a frustrated breath. "Okay, so, friends yes - more maybe. One step at a time. Are you okay with that?"

 

Seto, his heart in his throat, couldn't find a way to force words past the lump choking him. He nodded silently.

 

"Good. I'll see you tonight." Joey nodded slightly and smiled.

 

"I..." Seto croaked, only to stop and clear his throat. "All right. Could you get my phone for me? I need to call the driver and I left it on the table."

 

"The limo is out front already. He must be trying to make up for last night. I'll get your phone and be right back."

 

When The blond turned to leave, Seto caught him back . "Joey what about..." He waved his hand expressively.

 

"Tea will get over it or she won't. She does have the right to say who comes here, but she doesn't have the right to say who I do or do not see. We are going to have a long talk this morning. Don't ask, it doesn't concern you, just know that nothing she says will affect what happens between us." The blond shrugged his shoulders and went to get the phone.

 

At the door he looked up into Seto's eyes. "Awkward isn't it? We're not 'just friends' but a kiss doesn't feel right does it - not yet?" Unexpectedly Joey leaned up and kissed Seto's cheek, just missing the corner of his lips. "See you tonight. Text me with the time."

 

The tall brunet nodded jerkily and let himself be half shoved out the door towards his waiting limo. He waited until he was safely inside, away from prying eyes, to let his body sprawl back in the plush seats and his lips spread into a wide, silly grin. All he could think of was that kiss and Joey’s promise - 'See you tonight.' "Tonight..." Seto murmured, his voice almost slurred with happiness.

 

"You sound like a giddy schoolgirl Seto." Mokuba informed him with a hint of laughter in his voice.

 

Instead of sitting up and forcing himself into his normally rigid posture, Seto smiled up at the headliner of the limo. "He's going to give us a chance Mokie. I dreamed but I didn't hope. I was happy, ecstatic, with friends. He says maybe..."

 

"That's a long way from yes Seto." Mokuba cautioned, more like the elder brother at that moment than Seto was.

 

"Not as far as you think. I know him Mokie. He kissed me - he... he looked at me - he saw me. I think for the first time ever he saw who I really am, not who he he always thought I was. I have a chance Mokuba, a real chance, because he saw me and kissed me anyway. He wouldn't have if he didn't care about me." It was too soon to say Joey loved him, Seto knew that, but there was caring and attraction, and they added to the ties of their past. Despite the pain and cruelty of their parting, his one and only lover still cared, still wanted him, and Seto would not waste the opportunity given.

 

The black-haired Kaiba regarded his sprawled brother thoughtfully. He had wanted to see more of Seto's true feelings, wanted to see what Seto hid beneath the rigid facade that protected him, and he was honored, humbled, and yes - amused. His brother, cold as ice and hard as nails, was loopy in love with Katsuya Jounouchi - aka Joey Wheeler and had been for years. "So what is your plan Seto?"

 

The brunet didn't bother to sit up. "No plan. It all has to come from Joey. I hurt him badly and he needs to work past it. He thinks he has, I hope he has, but I'm just going to follow his lead."

 

Mokuba chuckled and observed dryly, "Then you have a plan Seto. You plan on following Joey's lead." He was surprised when his brother just rolled to his side and yawned.

 

"Wake me when we get home Mokie. I need to shower and dress. Oh and have the cook make some miso and plain rice. I'm afraid I overdid it on bacon last night." A smug smile curved Seto's lips. "Joey makes Kevin Bacon with real bacon and real cream cheese."

 

"I hate you." Mokuba snarled with envy. His vitriol bounced off Seto like a gnat bouncing off a rhino's hide. All he got for his trouble was the smug smile deepening. He had a feeling Seto was dreaming of Kevin Bacon - with real bacon - served in bed by an equally tempting blond. As much as he loved his brother, Mokuba did not want to go there. With a huff tore his gaze from the taunting grin. Time to bring Seto down a bit. "Huh. Well I'll just ask Joey to make me one."

 

"When he moves in I'm sure he'll make enough for both of us." Seto agreed, then added casually. "I'll ask him about having them at the wedding reception too."

 

"No plans Seto?" Mokuba snickered slightly.

 

"Dreams, Mokuba." The smug smile faded and a piercingly sweet one took its place. "Dreams." Then reality crashed in and he sat up abruptly. "What are you doing here this early?"

 

"Wondered when you would figure out I don't like to wake up this early just to get updates on your love life." Mokuba grinned. "It's not bad Seto, it's just that I have to fly back to Japan. Yugi called and said he wants to move to the states. He says with his grandfather dead and the game shop closed down he's at loose ends. He misses his friends, us, Tea and Joey. He said Honda and Otogi are moving to Maine because they want to get married."

 

Seto stared at his little brother through narrowed eyes. "So you're flying out to help him move?" He probed carefully.

 

"Seto, you know how you have been with Joey? I... Yugi is... I've been waiting for Yugi to move past the pharaoh and Anzu. I think he's finally doing that. Now I am old enough to help him." The black-haired young man watched his brother calmly.

 

Seto laughed softly. "Damn, I thought it was a crush you outgrew."

 

"Like you outgrew your crush on Joey?" Mokuba asked softly.

 

"Point." Seto nodded. "Go help him Mokuba, but go at his pace. That's the only advice I can give.

 

"I've been standing still for so long that any move forward is speed of light for me." Relief lit the younger brother's face up. "Thanks big brother."

 

"So we're on our way to the airport?" The brunet asked rhetorically.

 

"I've got my jet, Dinosaur Wing. I think he will get a kick out of it." Before his over protective brother could ask, he chimed in, "I've got two co-pilots, all qualified on it."

 

"Hmm... Tanks of fuel?"

 

"Six."

 

"Okay then you can go. Tell Yugi if he moves to the states I'll come out of retirement to duel him. Can't have him ruling two continents unchallenged."

 

"I'll tell him Hi for you." Mokuba temporized. Sometimes his brother had the worst people skills.

 

****

 

Tea, sans Rinny, slowly walked down the stairs. "She's playing in her room." She explained at Joey's silent question.

 

"Think that's for the best." Joey regarded her thoughtfully. "Come sit down. We need to talk."

 

The brunet woman tensed, practically vibrating as she stalked over to sink down on the couch. She didn't give the blond time to start. "I know you still like him. It was obvious when he showed up here out of the blue and you were so cow-eyed you couldn't toss him to the curb where he belonged." She drew a deep slow breath. "But I won't have him coming in here accusing me of being neglectful or abusive. I forgot to change her one time. When I remembered I knew that you would change her - or thought I knew. You were obviously too distracted to care for her."

 

"Tea, my father just died, he was cremated yesterday. Of course I wasn't in any fit state to babysit. You should have arranged for a sitter, or lived up to that friendship stuff you always preach and stayed with me. You walked away when I needed you without a backwards glance. Seto stayed with me, held me, kept me company, when I needed him. Where were you Tea? Where were you?"

 

"You know damn well where I was. I was working to put a roof over their heads." She snarled defensively.

 

"No." Joey wouldn't let her get away with that. "I was here when you called Mister Orlando to let him know you were going to miss rehearsal. He told you to take the next few days to deal with family issues. You told him no, that it wasn't a family thing. I'm not family?"

 

"Of course you are. I was talking about your father." Tea snapped. "I need to work Joey, you know that. We barely get by."

 

"We do all right, not so bad that a day or so would have hurt us." His golden eyes became intent. "Anzu, I've noticed okay? I've seen how you draw away from the kids, how you've become inattentive and cold. Ty is clinging to me like a vine because he sees it too. Rinny... Rinny actually started clinging to Seto the way she used to cling to you. I think it's because his hair and eyes are like yours. She feels it probably more than anyone. Tell me what's happening Tea, tell me why you are pulling away from the babies you and Dylan wanted so badly."

 

She stared down at her hands for a moment, then rose to look out the window. "I... I love them, you know that." She laughed shortly. "How could I not when I carried them inside me?" The bitter laugh died. "It started after Rinny was born. I noticed that they looked more and more like you, that they acted like you. There is no Dylan them."

 

"Tea, we agreed, all of us, that the babies were Dylan's no matter who the sperm donor was." Joey stared at her, genuinely shocked.

 

"I know." She spun to look at him in agitation. "I know what we agreed Joey. After the accident that made babies impossible, you agreeing to donate your sperm was a godsend. We wanted them so much. If Dylan hadn't died I'm sure it wouldn't be an issue, but now... now... They are not Dylan's, they’re yours, and I can't stand it. I love them, they're my babies, but I resent them because they're yours, no matter what, and I want Dylan's children." She drew a ragged breath. "I look at them and I see you, not Dylan, and I hate it. I can't stand them sometimes because they are so much like you."

 

"You..." Joey's breath left him in a whoosh. "You... hate me?"

 

She stopped for a moment, drawing a deep breath. "Sometimes. Sometimes I blame you because Dylan is not here. I know you weren't the cause of Dylan's death up here." She tapped the side of her head. "But then I think, if you hadn't been so selfish to call for a ride home, he wouldn't be dead, and I... I just can't stand it. I can't stand seeing you, seeing you in them. When I feel that way I need to get away before I... Before I..." She drew a deep breath. "That's why the babysitter quit. You weren't able to watch them for me and I basically dumped them on her. I didn't pick them up for three days and you were too busy to notice. They were safer with her."

 

"Oh shit, Tea!" Joey leapt to his feet. "You are feeling violent? Like you want to hurt them?"

 

She went dead white and her lips trembled. "I've dreamed a few times that they were in Dylan's coffin with him, that I've put them there." She admitted with stark blue eyes.

 

"Tea you need help, you need to see someone. This is not normal. You know that." Joey resisted the urge to run upstairs and check on the babies.

 

"I need to get away from them for a while and come to grips with Dylan's death." She countered flatly. "I never had a chance to mourn or grieve."

 

Joey felt his entire world shift on its axis. Tea had been inattentive sure, maybe a bit hostile, but he had written it off to stress. He hadn't realized all this was going on. "Tea, what do you want to do?"

 

The tortured blue eyes closed and she drew a deep calming breath. "I know it's not normal Joey and I've already started to work it out. The elite group who was at the performance last night, the ones that have been watching, came to see me. I knew they would make an offer last night, that's why I went even though you needed me. They were there because of me. Orlando, at my request, sent an invitation to the recruiters from the Bolshoi. I'm good, one of the best Joey, and I knew I could get into the Bolshoi." Her eyes opened and she met his gaze head on. "They offered last night. They want me to come dance for them. It will be grueling. I'll live in a dorm, I'll eat and sleep dance, but I'll... I'll be away from them Joey. I had planned on telling you about the offer and asking you to care for the kids. I've already put the house in trust in their names, with you as their guardian and administrator of the trust. There is plenty of money left from the life insurance and accident settlement to support you all for years while I'm figuring this out. The last thing to do is sign the custody papers."

 

"Custody? But..." Joey was stunned, his heart squeezing in a vice. What was happening? Didn't Tea know that abandoning her kids was the worst thing she could do?

 

"Custody papers." She affirmed. "We never formalized the donor arrangement, never got around to signing the papers, then it was moot. You have as much legal claim on the children as I do. I'm giving you custody of them while I'm studying with the Bolshoi. I will be abroad for about six months. When I return, we will assess and go from there." She wiped the tears that had fell like a river down her cheeks. "Joey, I had planned on never telling you about my issues. I didn't want you to know, didn't want to add to your burden or cause you pain. You've been fantastic, the best friend ever. It's me, all on me."

 

"So you were just going to sail out of here without telling me the truth of why you were leaving?" Anger and betrayal were bitter pills to swallow.

 

"I think time away, time to reflect and grieve, will help me come to terms with everything Joey. When I get back I... I know I'll be able to care for them like I should." Tea's voice was desperate and Joey wondered which of them she was trying to convince more.

 

"I see." Joey bent his head, trying to grapple with the chaos his world was suddenly thrown into. "When do you leave?"

 

She cleared her throat slightly. "They want me to leave today. They have a private jet and I... I have to pick up my bags and have you sign the custody papers. I... I have them here. We'll go to the lawyer's office to sign and file them with him. He drew them up two weeks ago."

 

"Two weeks." He echoed tonelessly. "You really have been planning this for a while."

 

She didn't answer, just wheeled around and stalked up the stairs. "I'll get the kids ready while you dress. I want this over as quickly as possible."

 

When Joey emerged pulling on a polo shirt over his tight jeans he found Ty was standing in the hall still in his jammies, wearing shoes with his sleep creased face looking confused. Rinny was buckled into the stroller wearing pull ups and a pair of sandals to match her sunny yellow dress. Four large bags hulked along one wall. "You were all packed?"

 

Tea ignored his disbelieving comment and said briskly. “We'll walk. It's only two blocks."

 

"Uh, do you think the guy will be in his office?" Joey asked hesitantly as he scooped up Ty and followed her out the door.

 

"I called him at home this morning before I got here. He will meet us there." She set a brisk pace, pushing the stroller aggressively across the sidewalk. 

 

He had a moment to marvel at the sheer callous determination of the woman before settling Ty comfortably and hurrying after the determined brunet. Despite his attempts at reasoning, offers for counselling, and even outright yelling, Tea signed the custody papers, and without waiting to see if Joey signed as well, stormed out of the office. After an awkward pause, where he watched the door waiting for her to come back, he bent and signed the paper.

 

The lawyer gave him a steady look. "Mister Wheeler you have a few more papers to sign. As their permanent guardian and as the trustee of their estate I need to go over your rights and responsibilities. They have a sizeable inheritance and it needs to be managed properly."

 

Joey wasn't naive. He knew why Tea had insisted they come here. She had known he would have to stay, giving her the opportunity to get away without having to say goodbye to him or the kids. For the first time, he was actually grateful his father had died. The school and the hospital had given him a week off to deal with his loss. He would need every minute of that to arrange his new life as a full time father.

 

Squaring his shoulders, he nodded. "All right. But I have to warn you I'm not great with legalese. You're going to have to keep it simple." 

 

The lawyer nodded. "Of course." He drew out a sheaf of papers. "These are the trustee..."

 

Over an hour later Joey, with a whining Rinny and a restless, hungry Ty, left the lawyers office. He carried Ty piggy back while he pushed the stroller. He wasn't surprised to see Tea's bags missing from the hall.

 

While he ran a bath for the kids, he took out the makings for peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and put on a pan of alphabet soup to simmer. After a loud, giggly bath, all three of them trekked downstairs wearing robes with towels wrapped around their freshly washed hair.

 

While Ty scarfed down his food like he hadn't eaten in days, Joey fed his baby girl, delighting in the way she took the spoon from him and insisted she was a big girl. Joey was glad he hadn't dressed her since she ended up wearing more than she ate of the first bowl, but managed to eat half of the second.

 

Quick, handi-wipe wipe-downs and they were back to squeaky clean. Joey dressed them both in comfortable clothes and plopped them in front of the television to watch a movie while he sat back quietly and fell apart.

 

He was still trying to find all the pieces to put together when his cell phone buzzed with a text message. Hope that it was Tea, that she had changed her mind and needed a ride home, rose and eagerly he read the message.

 

His heart crashed as he saw that it was from Seto, all it said was '5PM. Black Tie.'

 

Closing his eyes, Joey let his head drop forward as he realized yet another thing he was being forced to deal with. Seto... just when things were looking up for him in the love and romance area, like he was being given a second chance at the love of his life - whether he wanted it or not - he was being forced to choose between his two precious babies and Seto. There really wasn't any choice. 

 

He didn't kid himself. Seto might like kids, might want kids someday, but the risk of this situation was huge and if Seto didn't care enough to help him when he was practically homeless there was no way Seto would care enough about him and his children to become involved now. Heedless of the tears falling down his cheeks, he texted back. 'Going to have to cancel. Something's come up. I'll call you someday, when I'm free.' He hoped Seto would read that and take it for the reluctant brush off it was. When there was no reply within five minutes he knew that Seto had received his message loud and clear. The tears sliding down his cheeks became a river.

 

Seven minutes later the hard slams of the door hitting the wall, then being slammed closed brought Joey up, hope that Tea had returned rising only to fall as Seto Kaiba steamed into the room. "What the hell do you think you're playing at you..." The tall brunet focused on his tear blurred face and his anger died. "Oh Katsuya..." He whispered. "What's wrong." He looked around the room, locating Ty and Rinny staring at him for a moment before they returned to watching some animated feature, his shoulders relaxing imperceptibly. "Tea?"

 

Joey cleared his throat and fought for composure. "I... Seto, you need to go now. I have to be strong now. I remember you didn't want me leaning on you. If you... If you don't leave I'm... I'm going to need you." He gulped back sobs. "Please go."

 

"Katsuya..." Instead of leaving, Seto stepped towards him and caught him close. "Tell me what's wrong."

 

For a moment the blond leaned against him, letting his whole body mould into the contours of Seto's, then abruptly, he pulled back and turned away. Seto reluctantly let him go, but stayed one step away to catch him if he fell.

 

The blond didn't go far, just to the kitchen. He picked up the large brown envelope the lawyer had given him. Copies of all the papers that detail his change of status from friend, uncle, sperm donor, to father and trustee of Ty and Rinny. Beyond speech, he pressed the envelope into Seto's hands.

 

Seto barely glanced at it. He drew Joey back into his arms and led him over to the couch, settling them both into the cushions. When he would have moved away, Seto pulled him tighter, firmly guiding the blond head to his chest. "Rest. I've got you and I'm not going anywhere. I'll read and you rest."

 

Seto was never more thankful of his 'gifts' and his experience with contracts than he was right at that moment. He understood every word he read, his heart catching at the different facets of the contracts. There were several problem areas that would have to be dealt with to protect both Joey and the children. He would have his lawyers get on it right away.

 

He would be lying if he said he wasn't surprised by Tea Gardener's actions but people did irrational things, especially selfish people. He'd always considered Mazaki Anzu one of the most selfish people he'd ever had the misfortune to meet. Under all of her 'friendship' speeches there had been a current of self-interest. Even the way she had treated Yugi and his 'other' had been selfish. Loving them both until the 'other' was gone, then leaving Yugi alone to pick up the pieces. He really didn't have any questions about her, but he did want to know how it had all happened.

 

"Tell me about Dylan Gardener." He said softly.

 

Joey stiffened slightly, then sighed and dropped his head back onto Seto's chest. "Sean and I broke up because I didn't need him. I was determined not to need anyone. Dylan... Dylan was a rich kid who had been taken care of all his life. He was determined to make it on his own and didn't want anything but to enjoy his life. He was honest with me, he was bi, but he had been an only child and he was determined to marry and have kids, at least two. He knew there was a girl out there for him. He... He reminded me so much of home. Not just his looks, but his innocence was like Yugi's, his humor like Honda's, and his looks... he... well he looked like you. It was like having everyone with me again." The blond shuddered and burrowed closer. Seto put the papers down and wrapped his arms around the hurting man.

 

"I wasn't upset when he came home one day talking about an angel he'd seen walking into a theater. He thought she was a dancer and he convinced me to go to the performance. It wasn't even a surprise for me to recognize his angel as Anzu. She had changed her name to Tea. I introduced them and from that moment on I was on the outside looking in, just as I had been with Yugi and Anzu. They hadn't dated three weeks when he proposed. I was stunned when Tea said yes. They were married a few days later. His family didn't approve of him marrying a dancer so they cut him off without a penny. To save money we all shared a two room apartment. Tea got pregnant right away, only to miscarry at three months. It was probably stress related, because Dylan had gotten a job at a warehouse and he... he was severely injured. It wasn't until he was able to leave the hospital that we learned he was sterile. He... he just stopped." Joey broke off, his words drying up. How could he explain what it was like to watch his friend, so wounded and valiantly struggling to hold on, suddenly give up and lose the will to live after hearing about the end of his dreams of being a father. How could he describe his despair and his own fear when he'd offered the only solution he could come up with.

 

"You offered or he asked you to donate your sperm didn't he?" Seto asked softly. He could see it so clearly.

 

"I offered, he talked to Tea. They agreed and after a few weeks of treatments Tea was inseminated. I... Ty was the result. Dylan.. Dylan thrived after that, regaining more function than any of the doctors ever predicted. He... he was determined to play ball with his son." A sob broke through and his shoulder shook with its force, before Joey brought it under control. "Rinny was timed, to the week, timed. Those were the happiest days of Dylan's life - and the last. I... I had to work late at the hospital and my moped had the fuel lines frozen . It was Christmas and the weather bad. Snow and sleet were falling in huge sheets. I... I called and asked Dylan to give me a ride home. While he was driving to pick me up, a drunk driver crossed the line and slammed into the driver's side of the car. It spun out and went off the road. It landed upside down in a culvert. Dylan Gardener drowned in three feet of water, unable to escape because of being trapped in the car by the crushed door. The drunk driver got off with damage to his vehicle and a cut on his forehead. He is being charged with vehicular homicide, but hasn't been to trial yet. His lawyers are trying to plead it down to a misdemeanor."

 

"Damn." Seto breathed softly and nuzzled into Joey's blond hair, hoping to give him some comfort. "Now Tea bailed leaving you holding the babies." Seto hugged him tight then shoved him back to glare down into the red-rimmed golden eyes. "And you think I'm going to bail too? So you kick me to the curb before I can leave you?"

 

"You... when I needed you before... I... I was like... homeless, didn't have even food, and you.. you... Why would you help me with this when they are so much more than simple human kindness would have been back then?"

 

That froze Seto for a moment. "I didn't know it was that bad. I would never have..." he broke off. Ancient history wasn't going to help either of them now. "I'm not like that anymore. I'd never turn my back on you again, or on anything that is important to you, and they make up a large portion of your heart. I'm here for you."

 

"Seto, I'm a dad. I have two kids. Two kids who are going to be going through incredible crisis when they realize their mom isn't going to be home soon. You don't understand what you're saying." Joey shuddered slightly. "Hell, I'm a trained professional and I don't know it all."

 

"I'll learn with you. I'm not going anywhere." Seto glared down at him. "You think I'm going to let you go again after missing you for years? Needing you for years? Idiot." Seto blew out a frustrated breath. "I am not going to lose you again, and if you come with baggage it can share space with mine. What part of 'I love you' are you missing? Ty and Rinny are part of you - I am going to love them just as much."

 

Joey's golden eyes widened in shock as he goggled up at the brunet. "Seto... You know you just said you love me? For the first time ever?"

 

"Idiot." Seto glared for a moment, then sighed and pulled the blond into a tight hug. "You think I'd bother to try to be friends if I didn't love you? How many times have I told you, I don't need friends." He nuzzled the blond hair. "I do need you. If all you can accept is my friendship I'll take it, but you said you wanted to think about more, so I'm going to stick around until that idiot brain of yours figures out you love me too." The laser bright stare dared Joey to try to stop him.

 

Joey chuckled weakly. "I have too much going on right now to worry about that. Are you sure you can't wait for me to get it all sorted out?"

 

That made Seto's glare darken. "Hell no I'm not waiting. If you get it sorted out there won't be room for me. You are going to sort it out with me in the mix so you can't sort me out of your life."

 

Joey nodded and sighed. "If it gets too much... Okay okay, never mind." He grinned at the ferocious expression. "So Seto, it's too soon for you to move in, but I need a roommate, preferably someone to babysit. You got any ideas?"

 

The brilliant brunet laughed softly. "Yes, someone perfect in fact. An old friend of yours who will be at loose ends when he isn't duelling. I'm sure he'd be ecstatic to watch the kids when you're busy."

 

"Old friend?" Joey's brows drew together in confusion. "Who?"

 

"Yugi will be here tomorrow. He wants to move to the states because he has nobody over there now. His grandfather passed, Honda and Otogi are moving to Maine, and we are here."

 

"Yugi!" Joey laughed happily. "Of course Yugi! Seto, it'll be like old times!"

 

"Just remember Katsuya, no more 'benefits.' No matter how cute Yugi is, you are mine." Seto warned possessively.

 

"Eww, Seto! That's gross. That would be like you with Mokuba." Joey was completely outraged for an instant, then he blinked, his eyes going liquid. "Yours huh? I like the sound of that." A mischievous grin flashed across his face. "I've even worked out the issue with topping - I'll just tie you to the headboard."

 

Seto grinned, his eyes twinkling with more than laughter. "Took you long enough to figure that out."

 

"Mmmhmmm..." Joey leaned up and carefully pressed their lips together, enjoying the familiar, rich taste he'd always craved. He jerked back in shock when something very hard beaned him on the head. "Ow! What the heck..." 

 

Rinny was already squirming between them, glaring daggers at Joey and patting Seto's cheeks. "Bad Unc' Joey. Rinny's Thetoh." The tot turned and looked over her shoulder at the blue-eyed brunet with eyes wet with tears. "Rinny's Thetoh? Pwease?"

 

Seto laughed softly and gave her a quick kiss on the temple. "You really are dangerous."

 

She must have took that for his agreement because she turned back to Joey and nodded, glaring triumphantly. "Mine."

 

Joey blinked consideringly and decided to start as he meant to go on. Firmly he took the possessive little girl from Seto's arms and placed her on the floor. "No, Rinny. Our Seto."

 

The little girl stared at him for a moment, then nodded slowly. "'Kay. Our Seto." With a happy smile, she toddled back to sit next to her brother.

 

Seto grinned slightly. After just a few minutes in his presence his new daughter was showing marked increase in intelligence. "So, let's go pick the clothes they're going to wear tonight."

 

Joey gave him a baffled look. "What?"

 

Yep definitely his daughter. "Didn't I tell you what the charity was? It is a fundraiser to help families of drunk driver victims. They can't have the wine but they can enjoy some nibbles. It is supposed to be an example of responsible drinking - with designated drivers. They will be as welcome as I am - or we will leave."

 

"Well, Rinny has her christmas dress and Ty has some nice pants and a white shirt." Joey said doubtfully.

 

"Perfect. You get Ty dressed, I'll get Rinny dressed. We'll stop for dinner before we go. If we hurry we can have 'dawgs' at the boardwalk." Seto was already in motion, scooping up the little girl and tossing the shrieking, laughing tot up to catch and cradle her.

 

Ty gave Joey an uncertain look. "Are you okay Unc' Joey?"

 

"Yeah Ty, I'm just sad 'cause mommy left is all." Joey forced a slight smile.

 

"It's gonna be okay Unc' Joey. Daddy told me last night that Seto was gonna help us not miss mommy so much." The boy's hazel eyes were sad but calm. "He promised he'd stay with us and make sure we're okay, forever and ever."

 

"Ah good to hear Ty." Joey shivered slightly and looked around suspiciously. Ty had been speaking to his father regularly, almost daily, as if Dylan were still alive. Joey hadn't worried too much about it but now he wondered if he shouldn't get Ty into therapy. A sudden cold wind blowing across his neck distracted him and by the time he remembered, it didn't seem like anything to worry about again.

 

****

 

Eight months later Seto Kaiba and Joey Wheeler were married in a private ceremony attended by friends and family. Attendants for the ceremony were best men, Yugi Mutou and Mokuba Kaiba, with Tyler Gardener-Wheeler acting as ring bearer and Renata 'Rinny' Gardener-Wheeler acting as flower girl. Their mother, an expatriate living in Moscow, sent her congratulations.

 

It was later reported that Rinny caught the bouquet and promptly brought it to Yugi Mutou, who is reportedly involved with Mokuba Kaiba. There hasn't been a formal announcement yet, but sources close to the couple say that one is imminent. Mokuba better watch out though. A younger woman has her sights set on the King of Games. Rinny was heard to yell at Unc' Mokie for dancing with 'Mine Yugi.'


End file.
